At true loves First Kiss
by The Jasper Fox
Summary: After the festivities that follow the through defeat of Lord Shen and his powerfully armed Navel Fleet, Po discovers that under her tough exterior Tigress is an equally as strong woman just beging to be released. All opinions welcome. PLz R&R Rated M for future chapters, just to be safe.
1. True loves first kiss

**Yet another story featuring Po and Tigress, the idea for this one came to me after watching the KFP 2 for a second time. After everything that they have been put through by Lord Shen, I just thought I would be nice to have the two them realize the depths of their feelings and have them serendipitously confess. As usual I welcome all opinions. Plz R&R **

**A/n; this chapter contains two of my OC, a married pair of vulpine's named Dewei and Lian, both are red foxes and the keepers of The Cherry Blossom Inn. Also for those of you whom didn't know a female fox is called a vixen and a male fox is called a dog.**

**Disclaimer; I don't own KFP or any of its characters nor do I own the rights to Romeo and Juliet **

**At true loves first kiss**

**Chapter One, **

**True loves first kiss**

The festivities of the previously oppressed citizens of Gongmen City had ended and the ruin's of Lord Shen's naval armada lay sinking in the city's harbor, however while everyone else was soundly sleeping, one lone warrior could not, her dreams haunted by the events that had just taken place there. Unable to sleep the feline had quietly slipped out of the luxurious Golden Dragon Inn that Stuart's and fellow Master's Croc and Ox, had put them up in for the night before their journey home the next morning and had begun to wander the cities empty and rumble strewn streets. Weather it was consonantal or not, the master of tiger style eventually found herself standing on what remained the coastal cities docks. Looking out over what little remained visible of the disgraced crown princes fleet, mainly bits and pieces of floating debris that were steadily drifting out to sea, the usually strong and emotionless leader of the Furious Five lowered her head and began to cry. A seemingly endless river of tears flowed from her eyes as the female warrior openly cried for the first time in years.

Mean while back at the Inn, Po unable to sleep himself threw back the sheets of his futon and sliding his door open as quietly possible stepped out in to the hallway. After closing it just as quietly behind him, the dragon warrior tip-toed to the room directly across the hall from his and softly knocking as not to draw the others attention or catch the rooms occupant unaware, wondering if Tigress was awake as well so that the two of them might have a nice little chat. Ever since his defeat of Tai Lung, he had become closer with all the members of the furious five and could now proudly call them his friends but he had become especially close with the female tiger and she with him; the two had become so close that and knew so many intimate details about the others life, that it would not be a stretch of the imagination to call them reluctant lovers. Becoming slightly worried when he didn't receive a response verbial or otherwise to his knock, a few minutes later, the Dragon Warrior cautiously took hold of the recess handle and slid the door open a creak. Peering into the rooms lavishly furnished interior and seeing that the sheets of her futon were haphazardly thrown back as well, knew that she was likely wondering the dark streets of the ruined city no doubt attempting to deal with something that was keeping her awake. At least partly worried about her safety while the other half of him, wanted to comfort her in any way that he could, Po slid the door closed and quietly walking down the hallway went to go look for the feline.

Fortunately there was a full moon that night, so he did not have to barrow one of the Inn's lanterns to see where he was going as he walked the cities darkened streets, five minutes later. The streets of Gongmen City looked extremely different from they had only a few hours earlier as the citizens celebrated the fail of Lord Shen, back then they were filled so much joy and laughter as everyone let loose but now that everyone was asleep the city felt eerily still and lifeless so much so that he almost expected to be jumped by the wolves that had managed to escape being round-up every time that he walked past the deeply shadowed ally ways that criss-crossed many of the cities main streets. After checking all the usual places that he thought the feline might be and not finding her at any of them, the giant panda went to check the last place in all of China that he thought she might be, the city's harbor, and found her there with her head bowed for some unknown reason. As Po cautiously drew closer toward Tigress, a few moments later, not wanting to startle her the Dragon Warrior saw the reason she had head bowed, she was crying as if it she had not done so in many years. Seeing the feline that he secretly held most dear, in tears was like a knife directly to his heart; he could handle almost any injury an adversary inflected upon him but to see his secret love in so much pain was heart breaking for him, that was why he had pushed the piece of broken hull she weakly managed cling to, out of the way before he went to make his final show down with the peacock and his armada of powerfully armed ships because he didn't want to see her get any further injured.

Noticing that Tigress had not sensed his presence yet which was usual since the feline had the same uncanny ability to sense when someone was approaching her just like Shifu, Po stopped directly in front of her and wrapped his arms around her in a gentle reassuring hug. Looking up as she felt a pair of arms gently embrace her, the tiger felt a warm smile spread across her muzzle, when she saw whom they belonged to. Slipping her arms around his neck, from where they sat upon the front of his chest, a few moments later, Tigress locked her fingers together as they came to rest at the back of the panda's neck and after briefly rubbing her nose over his, pressed her lips against his in a tender loving kiss. Po felt his eyes grow wide the first moment their lips first made contact but quickly recovering from the shock, of his secret loves first truly intimate exchange with him, closed his eyes and relaxed into the kiss. Turning their heads slightly to the side in either direction as the kiss deepened, a few moments later, as the panda returned hers with one of his own matching the intensity of the tigers kiss perfectly; both warriors knew in their heart's, they had found the one they were meant to spend the rest of their lives with.

Playfully rubbing her nose over his and growling happily as the two warriors broke apart for air, five minutes later, Tigress ceased her light nuzzling and tucking her head under his chin, snuggled as close as she possible could against the pillowy soft fur that covered Po's wide chest while a very noticeable purr rumbled from her throat. Wrapping his arms more securely around the tiger's lower back, the Dragon Warrior felt her almost instinctively nestle even closer to him, the silk material of her clothing flattening his fur right down to its undercoat.

"Po, you know that I'm not all that good when it comes to emotions and stuff like that but don't you ever disobey any direct order that I give you ever again, you got that," Tigress growled in a half serious and half-tearful tone, lightly rubbing her cheek over the front of the panda's neck, "You can't even possibly begin to understand the gut wrenching pain I felt when I thought that cannon blast had killed you or how powerless I felt afterward. What were you doing there anyway, I distinctly remember telling you to stay behind, at the prison, where it was safer."

"I'm truly sorry for what ever pain I have caused you to experience, kitten, but I had questions about my past that only he could answer," Po answered honestly beginning to gently stroke his right paw over the tigers back before coming to the realization that he had let the rather affectionate pet name that he had for her slip forth and desperately hoped that she had not noticed it or else he just might be in for a serious beating thoroughly ruining the tender moment they were sharing.

"Well tell me, do you now have the answers you were seeking, my sweet Dragon Warrior?" Tigress asked briefly closing her glowing amber and yellow eyes as she felt the material of her silk clothing sag under her secret loves finger tips as he lovingly petted her, "Oh and before you answer that question Po, I'm quite comfortable with you calling me ,kitten, if you would rather use it instead of my proper name when it's just the two of us, like it is now."

"Yes, I did, kitten, yes I did," Po said soothingly as the felines purr began to increase in volume, "Now what do you say get back to the Golden Dragon Inn, before the others and especially Shifu notice that our beds are empty."

"Truthfully, I would rather spent what remains of this night with only you, my love, in one of the smaller Inns that I passed on my way here," Tigress growled seductively running the end of her tail over the back of the panda's legs, "After everything that you and I have been through during these last twenty-four hours, I think that we have more than earned a little alone time, away from the rest of the Five and especially my Baba, besides I have something special that I would like to give you."

"Do you now, kitten, and just might that be?" Po asked in a deep husky voice that he knew all to well, made the feline go weak in the knees.

"Oh, trust me you'll thoroughly enjoy it that's for sure," Tigress growled breathlessly, feeling her fur stand up on its end in excitement at the tone that the panda had just used to address her, driving her wild with sensual desires as the tightly barred gates that had previously kept her penned up hormones at bay, where powerfully kicked open by her womanly side, inwardly thrusting the female tiger from clam and collected to sexual wild, just begging to be tamed by her secret panda lover, "Now come on, I saw a nice little out-of-the-way Inn, that will fit our needs purrfectly not to far from here."

"Led on, my lovely kitten," Po said sliding his right paw back to its original spot upon the tiger's lower back and lightly interlocking their fingers together.

Slightly pulling away from the panda, Tigress teasingly licking her tongue over the front of Po's neck before pulling him into a deep passionate kiss. Happily growling as they broke apart, a few moments later, the tiger slowly removed her paws from around the dragon warriors' neck, relishing the feel of his fluffy fur as it slid underneath to supple pads of her paws. Slipping her right paw inside of his left and intertwining their fingers together, gently guided the two of them toward the nearby Inn she had mentioned. Turning down a side street, fifteen minutes later, the feline giggled cutely as they come to a stop outside of the plain façade of an Inn half way down it, the Inn's only marking was a sign that hung from a wall mounted bracket and in raised scrolling lettering read, The Cherry Blossom Inn. Unlocking her fingers from Po's, Tigress stepped forward and knocked on the door before snuggling up against the panda's side once again and waiting for her knock to be answered.

Ramping up her just barely controlled promiscuity when the light from a lantern could be seen peeking out from under the bottom edge of the heavy wooden front door, a few minutes later, and the irate owner partly opened it to see whom would be out at this late hour especially when Stuart's Croc and Ox had put a city-wide curfew into effect. Holding up the lantern that hung from the short bamboo pole he held in his right paw, casting its warm glow over the two now lightly nuzzling kung fu warriors, the male vulpine owner of Inn softly smiled and getting their attention by rising his free paw to his snout and clearing his throat loudly, motioned for them to come inside before someone saw the two of them. Transferring the lantern from the pole he previously had it on, to the simple four-legged stand that sat on the corner of the front desk, a few moments later, the russet fox casually slipped his left paw underneath his snout while he lightly drummed the fingers of the other upon the desk top and smiled at the two warriors that stood before him.

"When I heard a knock at my door at such a late hour especially when a curfew is in effect, I never thought it would be Master Tigress, Legendary warrior and fearless leader of the Furious Five, and the mighty Dragon Warrior, savior of our fair city," the russet fox commented in a slightly amused tone as he slowly cast his yellow and black eyes over the two of them and noticing that they were holding paws, pieced the puzzle together easily, "My name is Dewei by the way, how my I be of service to you."

"We were wondering if you had any rooms available, just for tonight," Tigress hissed not finding the deep red foxes tone even the slightest bit amusing, especially not when it got in the way of the fun she had planed for the of them to enjoy that evening, "It wouldn't even have to be very big, we're just looking for a place to lay our heads until the morning.'

"I am no fool Master Tigress, I have a pretty good idea why both of you are here standing before me tonight and know that sleep is the last of things on your minds, especially your's in particular, young lady," Dewei said mischievously grinning at the lovelorn panda and tiger that stood before him, "But I think that I could find suitable accommodations for the two of you, if you would just give me a few moments to check the ledger, to see what my wife and I have left available."

Ducking behind the front desk, a few moments later, Dewei reappeared and placing a rich leather-bound ledger upon the desk top, opened it to the ribbon that marked the days date and lightly ran the fingers of his right paw over the page to see if there were any vacant rooms. Fortune appeared to have smiled upon the two warriors because as the russet foxes paw neared the bottom of the page, he found that there was only one available room left in the Inn. Briefly snickering at the flustered response the panda and tiger gave him, when he asked them what name that he should put down in the ledger, a few minutes later, Dewei marked off the guest name box area with an "x" before wiping the extra ink off the brush on the lip of the ink well and after cleaning it, set it aside to dry. Picking up the short two foot bamboo pole, that he first had the paper lantern on to see whom it was that was knocking upon the front doors of his small eight room Inn, the russet fox was just about to place the lantern back in the grooved end of the bamboo pole, when a female voice drifted down the staircase that led to the owners quarters on the upper floor of the two-story building.

"Dewei, what's taking you so long," said the mysterious female voice in a clearly annoyed tone as its owner drew closer toward the partly opened doorway to the right of the front desk, "Just tell who ever it is to go away and come back at a more reasonable hour, don't they know the Stuart's have put a curfew in effect."

"I don't see the harm in letting them stay the night, after everything that they have done for us and the City its the least we could do," Dewei answered the approaching female voice reassuringly, "Go back to bed Lian, as soon as I am finished here, I'll lock back up and join you. There's really no need for you to come downstairs, my love."

"Stop making excues, Dewei, really, how hard is it, to just look this riff-raff in the face and tell them that we'r…" the female voice fell silent as its owner pushed the door at the bottom of the staircase fully open and the vixen's yellow and black eyes fell upon the panda and tiger that stood in the reception area, holding paws, "Master Tigress, Dragon Warrior, please forgive me I had no idea it was, you two whom knocked at our Inn's door. My name is Lian, how may we be of service to you."

"It's us whom should be apologizing to you, Lian, we were the ones who disrupted you and your husband at this unusually late hour,' Tigress said warmly at the auburn vixen, whom wore in a white silk house coat, that held on to the side of the door frame with one paw while she was supporting her lower back with the other and could see why, she was pregnant and looked like she wasn't far from her due date judging by the size of her belly, "Congratulations, how long it is until your due?"

"A week maybe two," Lian said grimacing slightly as she felt some of the young she carried kick unexpectedly, "I recognize that look in your eyes, Master Tigress, it's the look of a young woman in love and a feline lost in the passionate throw's of heat."

"If you two would excuse me, for a few minutes," Dewei said placing the bamboo pole down on the desk top and walking over toward where his wife stood in the doorway, "I'm just going the get, my lovely wife, settled back in our bed and then I'll be right back, to show you two to your room, ok."

Nodding their heads agreeably, the two warriors were eager to further explore the new feelings that both were feeling but didn't mind having to wait a bit, if anything it only made them even more excitable. Gently wrapping an arm around the waist of his pregnant wife, the heavily pheromone laden air about the panda and tiger did not go unnoticed by him or his wife and knew that he had better show the two of them to their room, before they got down to it right there in the reception area . Stepping back into the reception area, five minutes later, Dewei took the lantern off the stand on the corner of the front desk and fitting it into the notched end of the bamboo pole that lay upon its top, led Po and Tigress down the corridor to the left toward their room for the night. Stopping outside of the double doors as they reached the end of the corridor, the russet fox motioned for them to enter with his free left paw. Following behind the two warriors as they slid the doors to the room open and stepped inside, a few moments later, Dewei showed them where the futon as well as it sheets were stored in the rooms large closet before thanking them for there business and bowing his head slightly toward the panda and tiger, turned around and walked out of the room, leaving the two of them alone. After sliding the doors closed behind the vulpine Inn keeper, Tigress went to help her secret lover with the futon.

Gently pushing Po backwards on to the futon after they had gotten it all fixed up, five minutes later, Tigress resigned fully into her heat and pounced on top of him, pinning his paws to the futon beneath them with her own. Purring as she rubbed her chest over his, the tiger lustful rubbed her muzzle over the front of the panda's neck and teasingly licked her tongue over the underside of his chin, before finally planting a deep sensuous kiss upon his lips. Returning the kiss with one of his own, matching the felines intensity, Po felt his secret lover lick her tongue over his lips, seductively begging for entrance. Parting his lips, a few moments later, the panda and tiger both slipped their tongues into the others mouth. Tasting one another's palate as their tongues danced around the others mouth, the two warriors sank even deeper in to lust and passion;Tigress was pleasantly surprised to discover that her secret lover tasted wonderfully like peaches, the exact peaches that grew on the Peach tree of Heavenly Wisdom, while Po was equally pleased to learn that his secret lover tasted wonderfully like vanilla with a subtle undertone of lavender. Rubbing her nose over his as they broke apart for air both panting slightly from nearly passing out, from her crouched position upon Po's waist, Tigress felt his shorts begin to tighten.

"It looks like you ready to unwrap your present, my sweet dumpling," Tigress breathed seductively, now rubbing her cheek over his while she softly spoke into his right ear, "Which is a good thing too cause I am your present but if you want to receive the special surprise that I have for you, then you'll just have to unwrap me."

"Kitten, unless I am dreaming which I seriously doubt I am and don't get me wrong I would love to do that and a lot more to you, it just sounded as though you wanted the two of us to make it official that we're lovers," Po said in a hushed tone just loud enough for the tiger that tenderly pinned him to hear.

"Good, than I take it that you and I have an understanding then, my sweet panda," Tigress growled playfully rubbing her nose over his as she re-positioned her head, "And I know that you want to do this just as badly as I do by your body language, so why shouldn't we physically express how much we care about one another. I mean we're practically dating and spend so much time alone together already as it is, that the rest of the Five have taken to calling us, Romeo and Juliet behind our backs."

"Romeo and Juliet?" Po slowly repeated trying to remember where he had heard those two names before and then it hit him, "Weren't they the two star-crossed lovers in some play written by an English poet, whom ultimately ended up dying together in the end because their families wouldn't allow them to be together in life."

"That's about the gist of it, my sweet warrior," Tigress growled continuing to rub her nose over his teasingly as the iridescent flames of lust and passion danced in the yellows of her eyes behind her amber irises, "I love you, Po Ping, and want to spend the rest of my life with you and only you. After tonight I shall be yours and yours alone for the rest of our lives, we can worry about the dating thing when we get back home but at least for tonight we can be the lovers we both long to be."

"Tigress, I love you too but don't you think you're rushing things a bit," Po said noticing the dancing flames of lust and passion that filled the eyes of the feline whom was staring deeply into his own while she lightly nuzzled him, "I mean sure we have gotten to know one another pretty well over these past three years, I would even go so far as to call us reluctant lovers but do you really think we're ready to take that next big step in our relationship and make it official."

"Darling, I don't think anyone can ever truly be prepared for everything that life throws their way, I should know I've tried to live that way all my life. Always trying to be prefect at everything I do, training until I could no longer fell any pain in my paws by punching Ironwood tress for example" Tigress said ceasing her loving actions but not breaking the deep stare that she held with the panda she dearly loved, "But when it really comes right down to it, life isn't about the destination, what every it maybe but the journey one goes through to get there. I am well aware of all the risks involved in doing this, especially since I'm in heat right now but there are two things that I know in my heart to be true. One, that I love you with all my heart and know that you would never do anything to break it, and second, I know that we can face anything, as long as were together."

"I think I've just fallen even deeper in love with you, kitten, if that's even remotely possible," Po said flashing the tiger above him, his trademark goofing grin making the feline smile cutely back in response, "Now remind me again, just where were we before this conversation started."

"I believe that you were just about to begin unwrapping me, my love," Tigress growled returning to her seductive tone from a few minutes earlier, "Now shut up and kiss me, my sweet Dragon Warrior."

Leaning toward one another slightly, the two warrior's lips met in a tender yet lustful passionate kiss and with that, Po finally caved to the lustful desires that he held for the feline whom was sensuously kissing him, about to live out one of his fan boy fantasy's for real. Growling happily as they broke apart, a few moments later, Tigress released Po's paws as she leaned back into a straddling position upon his waist, the feisty feline smiled mischievously down at the panda she dearly loved before running her paws down the front her red silk vest, undoing its cloth buttons as their fingers traveled down its front. Casually tossing the garment aside, a few moments later, the feline closed her glowing eyes and blissfully purred as Po began to gently stroke his paws over the freshly exposed areas of silken fur driving her even deeper into the passionate throws of heat as he did so. Arching her back slightly as her lovers paws slid from her flanks and teasingly massaged them over her linen bound breast before slowly raking them down the front of her chest. Flashing her panda lover a warm loving sideways smile as she slowly opened her eyes partially and watched as Po slid his paws teasingly over the tops of her thighs before slipping them over their sides and beginning to circle them back up her scantily clad torso.

**I think that I have captured Tigress' complicated personality better in this one, then I had in my first fic but you readers can be a better judge of that than I. As always I welcome all opinions. Plz R&R **


	2. Make me Purr, Dragon Warrior

**I'm pretty sure the chapter title say's it all, happy reading. As usual I accept all opinions, so please R&R. **

**Disclaimer; I don't own KFP or any of its characters **

**Chapter Two**

**Make me purr, Dragon Warrior**

Leaning toward one another slightly, the two warrior's lips met in a tender yet lustfully passionate kiss and with that, Po finally caved to the lustful desires that he held for the feline whom was sensually kissing him, about to live out one of his fan boy fantasy's for real. Growling happily as they broke apart, a few moments later, Tigress released Po's paws as she leaned back into a straddling position upon his waist, the feisty feline smiled mischievously down at the panda she dearly loved before running her paws down the front her red silk vest, undoing its cloth buttons as their fingers traveled down its front. Casually tossing the garment aside, a few moments later, the feline closed her glowing eyes and purred blissfully as Po began to gently stroke his paws over the freshly exposed areas of silken fur driving her even deeper into the passionate throws of heat as he did so. Arching her back slightly as her lover's paws slid from her flanks and teasingly massaged them over her linen bound breast one at a time before sliding them slowly down the front of her chest. Flashing her panda lover a warm loving sideways smile, as she slowly opened her eyes partially and watched as Po slid his paws teasingly over the tops of her thighs' before slipping them over their sides and beginning to circle them back up her scantily clad torso.

Feeling Po's member continue to swell in between her legs, tightening his shorts even more in the process, Tigress felt her own loins begin to dampen in anticipation of intimate contact as its tight material revealed that his heart was not the only big thing about him. Crawling off her panda lover, the feisty feline stood up and lightly kicking off the simple sandals she wore in her foot paws, seductively striped down to her thin linen undergarments before crouching down and pulling Po's sandals and tight shorts off him and tossing them to one side. Gently running the first digit of her right paw over her lover's fully erect yet soft member, the feline mischievously grinned as she heard the panda groan. Gently caressing Po's panda-hood with her left paw, Tigress leaned her head down and began to teasingly lick her tongue from its base to its steadily inching skyward tip. Briefly closing his eyes as he felt her take his head into her mouth, a few moments later, a pleasurable groan slipped from the Dragon Warrior's own and raising his left paw from were it sat upon the futon began to lightly stroke it over the back of her head and neck.

Further encouraged by her panda lovers tender loving actions as she worked away at his member, the feline couldn't hold back her natural instincts to purr at his touch; Po was far from the first male she had ever meet, as a matter of fact the female tiger had meet plenty of the opposite sex during her travels with the Furious Five and on single missions but none of them, ever made her feel the way that Po did, on the inside. Ever since he defeated Tai Lung, when ever she was around the giant panda, Tigress could not help but be drawn to his side, to laugh at his jokes no matter how stupid they might be, to smile back when he smiled at her, to patiently sit and listen and even comfort him if need be, whenever something was bothering him and after three years of closely training with him, the feline warrior had come to count on him, always being there for her when she needed him to be there the most. Grunting as he came, seven minutes later, Po held Tigress' head in place with his left paw upon the back of it as he coated her mouth with his essence. Enthusiastically swallowing all her lover could pump out, the master of tiger style, licked the residual semen from her lips as Po lowered his paw from the back of her head, a few moments later. Burying her muzzled in to her lover's fur and she ascended his body, Tigress seductively licked her tongue over the underside of the panda's chin lustfully before planting a deep sensuous kiss upon his soft lips. Deepening their kiss even more as she felt Po wrap his arms around her scantily clad body, the feline eagerly looked forward to him, making a woman out of her and even found the idea of possibly carrying his offspring welcoming, she was in heat after all.

Sliding his paws over Tigress' back as they passionately kissed, prompting her to purr even louder, Po found the knots that secured the linen wrappings about her loins and breast respectfully and pulling at them with slightly trembling fingers untied the knots. Feeling the tightness of the linen wrappings that covered her loosen as there knots were untied by her lover, the tiger knew it wouldn't be long until she was a virgin no more but also figured that the he wanted to have a little fun with her first, since had her chance to have some fun with him. Rolling the two of them over with one swivel of her powerful hips, so that now she was the one on the bottom and he was the one on top, a few minutes later, playfully rubbed her nose over his as they broke apart for air, eager to continuing there exploration of one another's raging hormonal bodies. It was his turn to mischievously grin down at the feline that lay beneath him as noticed that she had already rolled the two of them over so he wouldn't have to, when he pulled away a few moments later. Pulling the loosened linen wrappings from Tigress' slender yet powerful legs and tossing them aside, Po tenderly grabbed the tigers left paw with his right and supporting her around the waist with his other pulled her toward his chest. Grabbing hold of the end of the loosened linen wrappings that covered her breast with his right paw just before she was pressed right against his chest, the Dragon Warrior removed them from around her chest.

Tossing the linen wrappings aside, a few moments later, revealing her ample breast, Po looked the feline up and down and was instantly captivated by how beautiful her perfectly spaced strips of altering black and orange hugged the curves of her body and blended seamlessly into the plush white fur that covered the majority of her torso, except for the top of her shoulders and a bit of the front of her chest which were stripped. Wrapping his right arm around the tigers back, the panda leaned forward and lustfully kissed her. Happily growling into her lover's mouth as their tongues danced with the others, Tigress tenderly wrapped her arms about his neck deepen their kiss even further. Briefly rubbing nose as they broke apart mere moments later, Tigress arched her back as she felt her Po began to delicately blaze of trail of soft suckling kisses over the right side of her jaw line before making a turn and descending down the side of her neck, passionately attacking the rest of her body. Closing her glowing eyes as her lover tenderly sucked upon the nibble of her left breast, a few moments later, a pleasurable moan slipped for the tiger's mouth never wanting the blissfully sensation to stop.

Encouraged by the pleasurable moans that his lover emitted, the Dragon Warrior could only imagine the depth of bliss the feline would experience when they got down to really mating, if just his teasing actions caused her to feel this level of pleasure already. Laying Tigress down upon the futon, a few minutes later, after teasingly sucking on the nibble of her right beast until it became hard and erect just like her left one, Po pressed his passionate attack descending the rest of her naked torso. Feeling the tigers fur sat on its end excitedly, where ever his paws or lips touched her, the giant panda slowly down his pace to draw out his feline lovers excitement even further; now one would think with the constant training that the female warrior did, her body would by extensively toned which it was but at the same time her lean feline form retained all of its slender womanly curves as well giving her the perfect balance of both beauty and strength. Teasingly licking his tongue over her pussy, five minutes later, Po devilishly smiled as he heard the feline growl softly before slipping his tongue into her moist loins. Balling up the top sheet of the futon in both her paws as her panda lover snaked and spiraled his tongue within her privates, Tigress closed her eyes as she felt heavenly bliss washed over her entire body.

Panting as she came, fifteen minutes later, Tigress bucked forward briefly plunging her lovers tongue even deeper inside of her for a few brief moments before returning to rest in her previous position upon the futon. Licking her sweet juices from his lips as he straightened up, Po placed his left paw upon her right hip and after lightly stroking the first digit of his other over her slick loins, making a blissfully moan slip from her muzzle, the panda slowly inserted it inside her pussy. Closing her eyes as her lover began to finger her barely recovered body, the tiger balled the top sheet of the futon within her paws once again and briefly curled back the toes of her foot paws as the sensuous motions washed over her once more. Seeing the sheer amount of pleasure that his feline lover was experiencing, over just one of his paws fingers and figuring the more the merrier, the Dragon Warrior inserted a second and third finger into her loins, a few moments later. Arching her back and growling blissfully as she came for a second time, fifteen minutes later, Tigress coated her panda lover's fingers in her juices. Extracting his slick fingers for her pussy, a few moments later, Po grabbed hold of his semi-erect panda-hood with the slick fingers of his right paw and after teasingly rubbing his head over her glistening loins, slowly slid his member inside the feline.

Tenderly sliding his left paw up Tigress' right flank while his slick right paw slid over the other, the Dragon Warrior leaned forward and caught his feline lover's lips in a deep sensuous kiss. Intertwining the finger of their paws as they found one another's, a few moments later, Tigress broke the kiss and sharply breathed in as she felt Po's growing ten inch member burst through her hymen, taking her purity with it. Lightly nuzzling her lover to assure him that everything was ok and encouraging him to continue making love to her, the feline knew it would hurt her both physical and emotionally if he pulled out of her right now and become worried that he would do just that, not wanting to cause her anymore pain than she already was in. However the female warriors concerns were short lived as the panda resumed fucking her, starting out slowly at first but steadily increased his speed, once he was used to the sexual motions of his feline lover. Wrapping her legs around the back sides her lover's legs as they made love, both secretly living out one of their wildest fantasies, the lustfully grunts and growls of the two lovers filled the air of there rented room.

Arching her back as she came, Tigress playing snapped her jaws at her lover's snout no where near sexually satisfied yet, eager to learn more about this side of her and increase her sexual experience. Rolling over on to all fours after Po pulled his softening member out of her loins, a few moments later, the tiger tucked her tail against the right side of her crouched body and looking back over her left shoulder at the Dragon Warrior, came him a courtly approving nod of her head before looking forward once again. Standing on his foot paws, Po guided his soft panda-hood back inside the feline's pussy with his right paw and watched as the feline swept hers ears back in pleasure while a soft moan escaped from her mouth. Gently caressing Tigress' hips with his paws and he steadily thrust in and out of her at an increasing pace, the panda came across a particularly sensitive area within her tighten loins and made sure that every time he buried his member back inside of the feline he brushed up against it. Throwing back her head as she climaxed, fifteen minutes later, a blissfully growl of ecstasy slipped from the tiger's lips as she felt an orgasm the likes of which she had never felt before wash over her entire body, from her wet nose to the happily flickering tip of her tail.

Laying down upon futon after pulling out of his feline lover, a few moments later, cascading a small amount of their combined juices on to the floor, Po was more determined then ever to sexual satisfy the sexy female tiger but he didn't know if he had the stamina to last much longer, if they kept up the pace they were currently going at it. This was the first time that he had ever done anything the likes of this and judging by the brief resistance he had encountered when he first inserted his panda-hood inside her pussy, the same thing could be said about her as well. Feeling a gentle lick upon his left check, the Dragon Warrior opened his partially closed eyes and saw a slightly panting Tigress staring lovingly down into his eyes while she sat straddling his waist. After tenderly kissing her lover upon the lips, the feline lightly stroked her paws over the plush fur that covered his chest and a stream of soft happy moans and growls slipped from her muzzle as she began to ride him. Supporting the tiger by gently embracing her left hip with his right paw as the sensual pleasures of the motion began to wash over her body, causing her to reach her left paw behind her back while she tucked her other arm behind her head, lost in the throws of passion, heat and being with her beloved. Po further increased the sensuous pleasures of the moment by gently massaging Tigress' breast and teasingly playing with her nipples with his free left paw.

Growling in ecstasy as she experienced an orgasm, the likes of the one that had come before it, only this time it was a bit more intense then the first one, Tigress moaned softly as she felt Po release another dose of his semen inside her formerly virgin pussy. Crawling from a top her panda lover, a few minutes later, the feline laid on her side beside him, her breathing coming in raged breaths as her body recovered from her intense orgasm. Sweeping her ears back just as she had almost fully recovered, the female warrior could not contain the pure blissful happiness she felt was over her, when she felt the futon sag slightly as Po rolled onto his side behind her and gently brushing her tail lovingly aside with his left paw, then used his right one to glide his soft panda-hood back inside of her pussy for a little more fun. Gently slipping his right arm underneath his feline lover's lean form and tenderly caressing her waist while he lightly warped his other around her chest, a few moments later, the Dragon Warrior began to fuck the feisty tiger hard.

Wrapping her left arm lightly around the neck of her panda lover as the sensuous motions of their love making washed over her body, the feline closed her glowing eyes while she tightly grasp the top sheet of the futon with her other. Leaning her head against the front of Po's shoulder as she experienced her most intense orgasm yet as the master of tiger style came fifteen minutes later, Tigress turned to face her panda lover and after lovingly rubbing her nose over his, locked their lips together in a tender loving kiss. Purring softly as they broke apart, a few moments later, the feline unwrapped her left arm from around her lover's neck and pressing her back against his chest as they cuddled, closed her eyes one last time and fell into a deep restful sleep almost instantly, sexually satisfied and happily content with their intimate actions that night. Gently resting his head upon the futon above hers, a few moments after his feline lover had fallen asleep, the Dragon Warrior held her a bit more securely in arms as her purr washed over him, lulling him into a deep restful sleep as well.

***** The following morning*** **

As dawn broke the next morning, Po was the first one to wake up which was unusual because generally the feline that lay snuggled deep against his chest was the first one to wake at dawn's first light every morning and he was the one that was typically still sound asleep, not the other way around. Seeing how peaceful Tigress looked as she continued to sleep undisturbed by his movements behind her, the giant panda went over the events of the previous night, in his mind and couldn't help but think that it was all just a dream, despite both of them being naked and tenderly caressing the beautiful female tiger in his arms but he did know of one way to, make sure that it wasn't all just a figment of his imagination. Removing his left arm from where sat gently caressing the woman of his dreams, the Dragon Warrior began to lightly stroke its fingers over the left flank of her wondrous body; teasingly tracing it curves, gently waking the sleeping feline. Purring as she slowly opened her eyes, after five minutes of this gentle petting, Tigress stifled a yawn with her right paw and turning her head further to the right, couldn't restrain herself from smiling warmly up at the face that was lovingly staring down at her.

Reaching up her right paw, the tiger gently wrapped it around the back of her panda lover's neck and pulled him into a deep passionate kiss while she placed her left paw upon her right one and intertwined their fingers, locking them together. Playfully rubbing her nose over his as they broke apart, a few moments later, the feline could tell just by the look in her lover's eyes that the panda did not know if this was just a dream or if the two of them were actually lovers now and so she kissed him a second time, only this time it was more tender and loving than passionate. The moment that Po began to tenderly kiss her back while the two lovers lips were locked, Tigress knew that he knew, that it was far from a dream and was all too real. Pressing their foreheads together after they broke apart for air to keep from passing out from light headedness, a few minutes later, the two warriors eyes locked with one another's and both knew for a second time, that they had found there one and only true love.

"Dumpling, I know that I have already told you this last night but I want to say it again," Tigress said as Po gently laid her back down upon the futon, a few moments later, but still kept her arms tenderly wrapped around his neck, "I love you and would like nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you and raise a family of our own same day."

"Kitten, I love you too and want the same things you do," Po said smiling warmly down at the feline he dearly loved and wanting to make all her dreams of having a family of their own, one day come true, "Now how about you say we get dressed and get back to the Golden Dragon Inn before your father notices, we are not in our rooms."

"Knowing my baba, he probably has already noticed so there's really no point in hurrying back, if we're just going to get into trouble anyway, we might as well make it worth our while," Tigress said a seductive edge returning to her voice, "The boat that Masters Croc and Ox have chartered for us to return home on, wouldn't be able to leave until the tide is high enough, so I figure that we should have about three hours until we really have to be down at the docks. Besides that I am fairly certain that they wouldn't think about leaving without us aboard, my sweet dumpling."

"So what do you suggest we do until then, my lovely sex kitten," Po inquired while smiling devilish down at the tiger that lay before him, already having a pretty good idea of where this was heading and was more than ready, to give his feline lover cause to purr, moan and growl.

"Oh, I sure that the two of us could come up with something, to thoroughly occupy our time, my love," Tigress growled breathlessly.

Leaning toward one another, a few moments later, the two warrior's lips met in a deep sensuous kiss. Not even braking contact as their already deep kiss, deepened even further and they lost themselves in the heat and intense passion of the moment, Po and Tigress's bodies acted of there own accord; as he extracted his soft member out of her pussy, the tiger slipped beneath the body of her lover and moaned softly into his mouth as his panda-hood found its way back inside her loins once more. Re-positioning his paws so that his right one was caressing the feline's hip, while his other sat upon the ruffled top sheet of the futon that lay beneath the two of them, on the left side of her body. Throwing her head back as Po began to thrust in and out of her, finally breaking the deep heated kiss they had been sharing, Tigress closed her yellow and amber eyes as a series of moans and soft lustful growls slipped from her mouth. Delicately raking the tips of her unsheathed claws across her lover's back, as she climaxed fifteen minutes later, the tiger re-sheathed them as the heated passion of the moment past and playfully rubbed her nose over his eager to have some more fun.

Extracting his softening member from his feline lover, a few moments later, after filling her with his seed Po took hold of Tigress' left paw and pulled her half way up to before flipping her over on to all fours. Instinctively landing on all four of her paws, the tiger swept her ear back and moaned softly as she felt her panda lover tenderly brush her tail aside before sliding his soft panda-hood back inside of her pussy. Moaning and groaning as the panda began to thrust in and out of her loins, while he gently caressed her hips with one paw and he stroked his other up and down her bare back, prompting the master of tiger style to purr at his touch. As the Dragon Warrior fucked the feline hard, he had not forgotten about the sensitive area that he had found the evening prior and just as he had done then, made sure every inward thrust either brushed up against this highly sensitive spot or prodded it directly. Every time that Po did make contact with that particular spot, a loud moan would slip from Tigress' muzzle and she would briefly lean her head back as well.

Throwing her head back as she experienced an orgasm, even more intense than the last orgasm from the previous night, a drawn out lustful growl escaped from Tigress' mouth as its blissful ecstasy washed over her entire body. Sliding out of his feline lover, a few minutes later, cascading some of there combined essences' on to the futon beneath them, the master of tiger style rolled over onto her back once more and seductively ran the end of her tail over the back of his legs, beckoning for him to join her. Powerless against his lover's eyes and the profound love for him that was reflected in there vibrant yellow depths, Po knelt down one knee at a time and leaning toward her caught her lips in a tender kiss. Closing her vibrant eyes as she felt him gently sweep his paws over her flanks while they kissed, Tigress slipped her own arms around the panda's neck and interlocking their fingers deepened the couples kiss.

Rolling the two of them over with one swift swivel of her powerful hips, five minutes later, the master of tiger style broke their deep sensuous kiss and leaning back into at straddling position upon her monochrome lover's waist, guided his soft member back inside of her loins with her right paw before proceeding to ride him. Placing both paws tenderly at top Po's chest as she felt his panda-hood swell and grow to it full and proper length and girth within her tight pussy, Tigress closed her eyes and leaned her head back slightly as the blissful pleasures of their writhing bodies washed over her. Tenderly supporting his lover by placing his right paw upon her left hip as a series of soft growls and moans of pleasure slipped from her snout, a few moments later, Po wrapped his free paw around her back eventually coming to rest it in the small of the felines back. Reaching her left arm behind her as her panda lover began to thrust upward, burying his member even deeper inside of her slick loins, as she rode him, a short time later, Tigress closed her eyes and moaning lustfully, throw her head back as the bliss of the new sensuous motions began to wash over her already sexually charged figure. Arching her back as she climaxed, fifteen minutes later, experiencing her most potent orgasm yet a long drawn out blissful moan escaped from her mouth.

Panting slightly Tigress stared lovingly down at her panda lover and leaning toward him, planted a tender loving kiss upon his lips. Snaking her tongue into Po's mouth as she felt him blow another load of his seed into her pussy, a few moments later, the feline had never felt happier in her entire life and was willing to do anything it took for the two of them to spend the rest of their lives together, even if that meant leaving the Valley of Peace and ways of kung fu behind for the domesticated lifestyle of child rearing and marriage as the wife of the Dragon Warrior. Romantically tucking her head under his as the couple broke apart for air, a few minutes later, the master of tiger style purred happily as she snuggled as close as she possible could as she felt Po tenderly wrap his arms more securely around her back, interlocking their fingers upon the small of her back. After cuddling for almost an hour, neither saying a single word just simply enjoy the warmth and comfort of one another's company, the two warriors reluctantly broke their lovers embrace and crawling off one another, slowly stood on their foot paws.

Watching Tigress out of the corner of his bright jade green eyes as she held the balled up linen wrappings she usually wore in her right paw, no doubt contemplating if she should even bother with putting them back on. Staring at the countless strips of beige material that was balled up in the palm of her right paw, the feline warrior was conflicted as how to proceed, one half of her was telling her that the respectful thing to do would be to put them back on, she was a tough as Ironwood trees warrior and kung fu master after all but then her other half would chime in its with own two cents remaindering her that she was always more than simply just a warrior, she was a beautiful young lady as well and now had responsibilities to Po as his mate, in addition to those she previously held as a warrior. Turing her wrist to the side and allowing the balled wrappings to roll out of her palm, a few moments later, Tigress made up her mind that from this point onward she was the Dragon Warriors mate first and a warrior second. Noticing that her lover had been watching her, the entire time she was contemplating what to do, the master of tiger style walked over toward where the panda stood a short distance away from her and after tenderly kissing him upon the cheek, walked back to where she had previously stood, a few moments earlier, and leaning over to pick up her black slacks from the floor began to get dressed. Slipping her right arm through the crock of Po's left as they slid open the double doors of there room, fifteen minutes later, fully dressed, Tigress nestled against her lovers side softly purring as the couple turned down the hallway and headed in the direction of the reception area to settle their bill.

"It's hard to tell if you two look any happier than you first did, when you showed up here in the middle of the night, last night," Dewei commented playfully as the two warriors approached the front desk, "I trust that you enjoyed your stay with us and found it to be memorable."

"Yes, we did," Po said smiling sideways at the beautiful feline cuddled against his side, "How much do we owe you?"

"For you two, its on the house," Lian said as the door to the owners quarters on the upper level of the building opened and the pregnant auburn vixen stepped out warmly smiling at the two warriors, "It's not very often that we have celebrities such as yourselves come to visit, unless someone is doing something, which they shouldn't be doing in the first place. Just think of it as our special way of thanking you two, for all the hard work you put into saving our fair city form destruction at the pin feathers of Lord Shen. I would also like to add, that I think you two make one cute couple and that your secret is safe with us, so you don't have to worry one bit about it getting out that the two of you are a couple now."

"Thank you, to both of you from the very bottom of our hearts," Tigress said softly smiling at the Inn keepers, "As keepers of the peace, we're not technical even suppose to get involved in relationships of any kind, especially not romantic ones but I don't see what's so wrong about it. I have had enough of being told what I can and can't do, so if my father can't handle it that I have chosen a new path to follow in my life other then kung fu, than I'll do what I must to remain at my beloved's side."

"Just out of curiosity, who is your father Master Tigress?" Dewei asked since he was interesting in hearing what type of father wouldn't want a child of there's to be happy in life.

"I never had the pleasure of knowing my real father but I would like to think that he was someone like Po, the kind-hearted, forgiving and loving warrior type whom used there head more than their hands to settle disputes unless it was absolutely necessary and the first and last memory that I have of my mother is her leaving my tightly bundled body outside of Bao Gu Orphanage as just a young enfant not more than a few weeks old," Tigress said a slightly sad note coming to her voice as the feline thought back to some of the first real memories she had of her childhood, other than the never ending fearful looks she would receive form the other children there as well as the matron as soon as her tiger strength begin to manifest itself and she become unknown only as 'the monster' to them and was confined to her room most of the day, "Even as young as I was at the time, I knew that my birth mother wouldn't have given me up, if she didn't have a good reason to do so. I spent the first five years of my life in that hell hole, constantly locked in my bedroom because the matron feared that I might harm one of the other children there but then one day the door opened and the red panda that I am proud to call baba walked inside, not that I knew it at the time. It wasn't long after that, that Shifu come to visit me one day and looking my directly in the eyes as he placed his paws upon my shoulders, told me to start packing all my things up because he had adopted me. I can not remember ever smiling so much in my entire life until recently that is, I was just so happy to finally have someone whom to call baba after having seen so many children go before me, it was finally my turn to leave that god afoul place."

"By Shifu, you don't mean Master Shifu, do you?" Dewei asked.

"Yeah, that's him," Tigress said sniffling slightly and blinking back the tears that threatened to fall as she came out of emotional scars from her childhood memories of growing up in Bao Gu Orphanage, "He may not have always be the most, attentive father figure when it came to raising me but everything that I am today is because of him. Well we have a boat to catch soon, so its been a real pleasure meeting both of you and Dewei be a more attentive father to your children than Shifu was with me, do that and I have no doubt that they all will grow up to do great things, which will make both of you very proud to be their parents. "

"I'll do that, Master Tigress, you have my word and good luck with Shifu, you two," Dewei said hopping for the best possible outcome for the young couple, waving goodbye to the panda and tiger as they turned and began to head for the front doors of the Inn.

"Thanks, we could use all the luck we can get," Po said turning to look back at the husband and wife vulpine Inn keepers over his right shoulder as the couple reached the front doors and pulled one of them open, "If you ever find yourself in the Valley of Peace, feel free to drop by the Jade Palace for a little visit, that is unless Shifu banishes the two of us for waiting to date one another but if something like that happens we'll be sure to sent you a message saying where we could be found."

"Dumpling, would you hurry this up, we still have to get back to the Golden Dragon to pack up our stuff and then we'll have to had straight toward the pier to wait for the others, if they haven't left for the docks already that is," Tigress said a slightly annoyed tone in her voice as she spoke.

"Ok, we're going, kitten, we're going," Po said reassuringly, smiling at the feline intimately nestled at side, "I sure we'll make it there with plenty of time to spare, I wouldn't be surprised if we beat the rest of the five and Shifu there."

"Now that takes my back to when you and I first started dating, my love," Dewei commented sighing lightly as he turned to face his seated vixen wife as the front door of their Inn closed behind the couple, a few moments later, "Is it just me or did you pick up on that, married vibe those two were emitting just now, darling?"

"Sure did, dear, for some reason I feel that's just the way that those two communicate with one another though but I wouldn't be surprised of those two were married within the year and have no doubt that last night will play a huge part in the reason for them doing so," Lian said placing a paw upon her swelled belly as a few of the young she was carrying shifted body position, "She has already taken her first steps down an entirely different path then the one she originally planed and doesn't even know it yet and probably wouldn't know about it until a few weeks from now or possibly sooner, it all really depends on when she chooses not to be in heat any more."

"Lain, you don't mean, Master Tigress is. Wow, now that's impressive," Dewei commented whistling at the Dragon Warrior's potency, "It took us a few seasons until we succeed and they did it one there first try, what are the odds of that."

"Some people are just lucky like that but I couldn't ask for it happen to better or more deserving couple in all of China," Lain said removing her paw from at top her belly as the offspring she was carry settled down, a few moment later, "Master Tigress more or less just told us that she may very well be the last of her village to have survived some kind of terrible fate and that was only because her mother made the extremely difficult chose to leave her at Bao Gu Orphanage and we already knew from before Shen's exile that he was the one whom massacred the giant panda village in the next valley over so that soothsayer's prophecy about his future defeat at the paws of the fated warrior of black and white would not come true, making the Dragon Warrior the last of his kind known to exist within all of China."

"I can't argue with you there, my love, they will make excellent parents and I'm sure a child or two will certainly cut down on that fighting style of communication they do," Dewei said as he tried to imagine how the two warriors, would look with a cub or two in tow as they walked through the streets of the Valley of Peace in his minds eye, "Then for their sake let's pray that, Master Shifu wouldn't punish them to harshly for waiting to spend the rest of their together as a couple."

"I concur, darling," Lian said nodding her head agreeable and clasping her paws together as her husband did the same, the married vulpine Inn keepers prayed for the best possible out come for Master Tigress and the Dragon Warrior when they told there Master, that they desired to pursue a relationship even if it went against his rules and would do anything if it meant being together.

**I will try to update this story once every two weeks or so, since I have a few others that I am currently working on completing. For those of you whom have or are active followers of my first KFP Ti/Po fic, A Twist of fate, I should have the fourth and finally chapter of that fic posted within the next month or so. I do value every review I receive, so plz R&R. **


	3. The thin line between Father and Master

**Happy new year's everyone, sorry for not updating this story as of late but I've been really busy over the holidays so I haven't had the time to post anything recently. Updates are on the way for all my works and as usual I always welcome all opinions, so please R&R. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the KFP characters, film or show rights. **

**Chapter Three,**

**The thin line between Master and Father**

After having left the Cherry Blossom Inn behind, half an hour ago, the two warrior's were making good time back toward the Golden Dragon Inn and could already see the top of its sign over the heads of the citizens that packed the city streets as they went about there daily business and routines, thankfully not taking notice of the intimately cuddled warrior's as they walked toward their destination straight ahead of them. As they neared the Golden Dragon Inn, a flower stall in front of the city bath house on the adjacent side of the street caught his attention softly flashing the feline a sideways smile Po told her to stay right there for a few minutes until he got back. Watching as her lover worked his way through the crowd to the other side of the busy street and walked over toward a nearby flower stall, to no doubt buy her some flowers. Looking away so that she could act surprised when he came back with what ever he bought for her, the master of tiger style pretended to be checking out the edges of her claws. Feeling Po gently nestle something against the inside of her right ear, five minutes later, Tigress couldn't restrain the smile that spread across her face when she turned to her right and checking her reflection in the large mirror that sat in the center of the display of the shop behind them. Instead of buying her a bouquet of flowers like she had expected he was planning to do, he had bought her a single white lily and had it stem trimmed off just past the base of the blossom, so that it would sit properly against her ear without needing any extra support to keep it in place atop her head.

"I know that you prefer tiger lilies, kitten, but the vender didn't have any so I hope that this lily will do until we get back home and then I promise to buy you a whole bouquet of them," Po said as he watched his lover, check out her reflection upon the mirror in the shops display and saw her smiling, "I think that it looks beautiful upon you, just as beautiful as any tiger lily would."

"Although you're quite right, my sweet dumpling, I do prefer tiger lilies above all else, I like regular lilies also," Tigress said turning away from her reflection, still smiling from ear to ear and taking a step toward her lover, softly kissed the panda upon his check before looping her right arm through the crock of his left one and lovingly intertwining their paws, "So there's no need for you to waste all of your hard earned money on little old me, I am happily content with just you to keep me company."

"Still if were suppose to be dating now, regardless of what Shifu has to say about it, I should really start to think of courting gifts to give you," Po said casting a warm smile in the felines direction as the couple begin to walk back toward the Golden Dragon Inn further down the street, "Maybe a piece of jewelry, how dose that sound to you, kitten?"

"Dumpling, if you want to buy me courting gifts than go right ahead but I don't want anything to flashy," Tigress said snuggling a little closer against her lovers side, not really caring whom might see them anymore because if Shifu blew up in their faces, when they told him about the relationship they were currently involved in and would continue with or without his support regardless, the commotion it would cause would let the cat of the bag anyway, so what was the point of keeping it hidden from public view anyhow, "I could us a new set of brushes for my fur thought and maybe some nice tiger lily scented perfume would be nice, you know practical gifts like that are perfect for me, now Viper she like's the flashy stuff but I'm more of, a less is more type of girl."

Further up the street standing outside of the Golden Dragon Inn, the other four members of the Furious Five stood in a circle inquiring if any of the others, had been able to locate there friends after searching the entire city for them; having found there futons empty earlier that morning yet all of their belongs still remained. So far none of the four of them had any luck in finding the tiger or giant panda anywhere and if they didn't find them soon, then they would have no choose but to return to the Valley of Peace without them.

"Guys unless I'm seeing things, I think that's them coming up the street as we speak," Crane commented straightening up whilst pushing the wide brim of his reed-work hat further down with his left wing, so that it blocked as much sun as possible, as he scanned the street that led away from the Golden Dragon Inn toward the heart of the shopping district near the middle of the busy street, "At least I think its them but something seems different about them from yesterday."

"Different, I what way exactly, Crane?" Monkey asked stepping up beside the avian and scanning the crowded street, spotted the striped fur of the feline warrior first before his eyes fell upon the monochrome panda whom she was intimately nestled against, "Oh, I see what you're talking about Crane but that's defiantly our Dragon Warrior. I'd be able to recognize that belly anywhere but why are they cuddled like that, it's not exactly the way a warrior should carry one's self especially in public."

"Cuddled, Monkey did I just hear you correctly," Viper inquired slithered up beside her fellow kung fu masters and couldn't help but smile as she caught a very brief glimpse of the cuddled panda and tiger, through a narrow gap in-between to passing citizens as they walked toward to Inn and appeared not to have noticed the three of them staring at the intimate moment the two warriors were having, "Well would you look at that, if I hadn't seen it with me own eyes, than I wouldn't ever believe it but there's no doubt about it that's Po and Tigress. Oh and she has a lily blossom leaning against her ear to, it suits her beautifully."

"Everyone shut it, it look likes they're headed this way, act as if you didn't see them," Mantis said hopping down from where he had work his way up to sit on Monkey's shoulder, to get a good look at there friends for himself just as they turned in the direction of the Golden Dragon Inn's frontage.

"Hi guy's, so how is everything going between you?" Monkey said trying his best to act as thought he don't see anything as Po and Tigress emerged for the crowd of citizen, directly in front of the four them, a minute later.

"Monkey, I take it that you all saw us cuddling just now, am I correct," Tigress asked a deadly edge coming to voice even thought her head still rested lovingly against Po's shoulder.

"Cuddling, nope," Monkey said in the best causal tone that he could muster at the moment but he could tell that it wasn't fooling either the feline or panda any and decided to come clean before he found himself one the receiving end of one of the tigers death glares, "Ok, fine we caught you two cuddling, what gave it away, Tigress."

"You're a terrible liar Monkey, your left eyebrow always twitches when you lie," Tigress said her voice return to its usual tone as well but still there was something just slightly different about it from before, it wasn't cold as it had been now instead it had a kind loving warmth about it, "Judging by your shocked expressions, I'm willing to bet that none of you ever though this was going to happen especially not after the way I treated him because I thought that he was undeserving of the title of Dragon Warrior when Oogway had first chosen him."

"Well yeah, Tigress, I mean you trained your whole life to be named the Dragon Warrior, only to have Po more or less fall out of the sky and steal it from you," Mantis stated matter of factly, summing up the unforgettable entrance the giant panda had made that day, three years earlier, "But then again you have been spending quite a lot of time together with him, ever since he defeated Tai Long and was even the first one of us to bow toward him immediately following his victory."

"You were also the first one that Po checked to make sure was ok, after I just barely managed to get all of us back to the Jade Palace after Tai Long paralyzed us with his nerve attack," Crane said while adjusting his reed-work hat back to its usual spot with the pin feathers of his right wing, "The rest of us were nothing more than a mere after thought to him, you were his primary concern."

"Crane, putting it that way makes me sound like an uncaring bastard," Po said in a taken back tone, "I was worried about all of you but Tigress was and still remains special to me, so of course I rushed to her side. You can't imagine the shear amount of pain, seeing her in that state made me feel."

"Awe, that's so cute you even cared about me way back than, dumpling, when I could have cared less about what happened to you," Tigress cooed lightly rubbing her check over side of her panda lover's neck tenderly, "Now you know how I felt when I thought that cannon blast had killed you, its not a very nice feeling now is it."

"Not in the slightest, my lovely kitten," Po said a gentle loving tone coming to his voice as he glanced sideways at the feline while a very noticeable purr rumbled from her throat, taking the other four kung fu warriors by surprise, "From now on, no more dealing with stuff on your own. You had me worried sick, last night when I found your futon empty, so if anything is bothering you no matter how small or large it is, than I'll gladly shoulder all of that weight for you, alright Tigress."

"Ok, Po," Tigress said ceasing her affectionate actions and leaning toward him, caught the panda's lips in a gentle loving kiss, "And you can come to me with all of your problems as well and the two of us will work through them together, alright my sweet warrior," Tigress added in a soft voice just loud enough for only her lover to hear her, as they broke apart a few moments later.

"It's a promise, my love," Po answered back just as softly before leaning forward and catching the feline's lips in a tender kiss.

"Wait a minute, Tigress, so when you told Po to stay behind back at the prison because you didn't want to see and I quote 'my friend get hurt' it just wasn't cause you were afraid that he might freeze up in the heat of battle again was it," Crane asked the feline warrior after the couple had broke their tender kiss and resumed their previously cuddled position, a few minutes later.

"I had many reasons for not wanting him to go but the most prominent two were the one you just mentioned, Crane, about him freezing up in the heat of battle, with the second being that I didn't want to see someone that a deeply cared about get hurt or possibly even killed," Tigress said tenderly sweeping the tip of her tail over the inside of Po's right leg, "I would have called him my lover but it probably would have made all of you faint and I needed you to be conscious to fight Shen and his army of wolves, as it was just the fact that I actually hugged him seemed to throw you for a loop. Just because I don't always show them, it doesn't mean that I don't have any feelings you know. So get use to the new me, emotions and all but that still doesn't mean I wouldn't wipe the floor with all of you during training, my darling included."

"Now there's the tough as Ironwood trees Tigress, we all know and love," Mantis said rubbing his pincers one over the other, snickering slightly, "So if either of you haven't been in your rooms since last night, then where exactly did you two love birds spend the night."

"Now that's really no business of yours, Mantis," Tigress said silencing the insect with an intense stare, "You guy's wouldn't happen to know where Shifu is, there is something that I have been wanting to tell him for quite sometime now but never had the courage to before."

"Yeah, I think he's in his room mediating," Viper said eyeing the panda and tiger knowingly, "If it's about your relationship then, good luck."

"Thanks, Viper," the two warriors said at the same time, causing there friends laugh before they joined in themselves, a few moments later.

"It's about time you two showed up, the others have spend most of the morning scouring the city looking for you," said a stern voice drawing the groups attention, five minute later.

Turning in the direction the voice had come form, all laughter stopped as there eyes fell upon the red panda that stood to behind them, clutching his peach wood staff in one paw while his other was raised and pointing at the intimately nestled giant panda and tiger.

"We will talk about this when we get back home, now it is not the time nor do we have it ,to discuses the rather strong bond that seems to have formed between you two as of late," Shifu commented lowering his raised paw to his side before continuing, "Our boat leaves in less than an hour."

"No, baba, we will talk about this here and now, not that there's much to discuses in the first place," Tigress said staring down at her adopted father without a single ounce of fear present in the yellows of her eyes, "I love Po and am proud to be his mate, no one that I have ever met before makes me feel the way he dose. He loves me for whom I am, faults and all, and regardless of your opinion in this matter, we shall continue to share an intimate relationship with or without your blessing."

"Mates, huh, well that certainly answers my question without a doubt," Mantis snickered grinning devilishly as it explained why the feline's behavior had changed from icy and cold, to warm and comforting over night.

"Mantis, I'm not sure right now is the best time to say something like that," Monkey warningly said to the insect in a hushed tone, noticing the dangerous gleam that was beginning to fill Tigress' eyes, replacing the warmth and love that had previously filled them.

"I heard that by the way you two but I'll deal with you later, right now I have more serious parental issues to deal with," Tigress growled in an agitated tone without warning taking all of the warriors by surprise, including Po, "So baba, do we have your blessing or not because I could think of a better use of mine and my beloveds time, than standing here arguing over this with you."

"Naturally, you have my blessing, daughter, what ever in the world gave you the idea that I would do otherwise," Shifu said briefly smiling at the shocked group of warriors, that stood in front of him, "I maybe your Master but I'm your father as well, Tigress, and its ever father's dream to see their children happy."

"Oh, well thank you, baba," Tigress said all the angry disappearing from her voice just as suddenly as it came, only to be replaced by the warmth and happiness of her new tone, "I might as well help Po pack up his things, that way we can get a move on more quickly."

"Make sure that's all that goes on, we can't afford to miss our ride, so no fooling around you two," Shifu comment jokingly, making the couple blush, "But all joking aside, we are going to have a nice long talk about this when get back home."

Then the red panda turned around and walked back inside the Golden Dragon Inn. Following there Master inside the three storey building, a few moments later, Po and Tigress climbed the stairs to the luxury rooms on the top floor of the Inn. Looking out the open window as they stood at the top of the last staircase, the couple could see the entire city and all the damage that the battle with Shen's naval fleet had inflected upon it, spreading outward from the urban river all the way down to the main harbor. For the most part the damage seemed contained to the area immediately surrounding the urban river and harbor but there was the odd side street that was blocked with debris as well, and if you didn't included the pile of rumble that used to be the cities Palace, the rest of the city faired the battle pretty well with some areas having no or very little damage; not that you would know it, the way that the citizens happily went about there lives as if the city hadn't change one bit. Turning away from the window, the couple walked down the wide hallway toward there adjacent facing rooms at its far end of the hallway.

Sliding the doors open to his room, a few moments later, Tigress followed her panda lover inside and flopping down upon the messy sheets of the futon, immediately felt a smile spread across her muzzle as her amber irises fell the action figure that sat within arms reach. It was a miniature articulated wood version of herself, perfectly posed in her usual fighting stance, and gently picking it up felt her smile grow even warmer when she remembered how Po had softly yelled at his noodle loving goose of a father just because he was getting scratches on her action figure. Gently placing the action figure back down where it previously sat, the feline warrior stood up and walking over toward where her panda stood packing his pack, tenderly wrapped her arms around his waist from behind and after briefly rubbing her head over the side of his neck, rested her chin atop his left shoulder and began to purr.

"Dumpling, you have cared about me for so long and I have only just really beginning to understand these feelings that I hold for you," Tigress said while burying her head in to the side of her mates neck lovingly, "I'm truly sorry for the way I treated you when you first arrived at the Jade Palace, it was wrong for my to doubt Master Oogway's selection and I hope that you can forgive me for all those terrible things that I said to you back then."

"Kitten, we've been over this before, I do forgive you," Po answered reassuringly, gently resting his head a top of the tigers as best he could, "I forgave the way you and the rest of the five treated me, a long time ago. I get it, you expected to be named the Dragon warrior but weren't, you had ever reason to treat me the way you did back then after all I did sort of make your life time of training all for nothing."

"I over-heard what you told my baba, about how come the reason you didn't leave when all of us were trying to make you run and can understand why you thought that if anyone could change you from the stupid, fat, panda that you were into something completely different it was him, that could do it," Tigress said as silent tears rolled down her checks as she thought back to how pity her jealousy ,over Shifu's fatherly treatment of the hapless panda, in that moment drove her to fight an enemy that was well beyond her own capabilities' and ultimately proved to be more of a match, than even the combined forces of the Furious Five were able to handle on there own, "But then again I guess being the mate of the Dragon Warrior, isn't all that bad either. I know for a fact that I haven't been this happy in a long time, too long in fact and haven't smiled or found it so easy to purr like this since Shifu first brought me to my new home in the Jade Palace as a youngling. If I really think about it, the time I can remember smiling this easily is the first time that I beat the training dummy."

"Kitten, you know that its not very polite to spy on people when they're talking but I knew that you wouldn't of done it unless you had a good reason to, like say maybe the possible threat of Tai Lung devastating the Valley and all of it's citizen, for example," Po said somehow just knowing that the vengeful snow leopard was only one of the many reasons, she would have had to spy on the two of them that night before adding in a slightly louder tone, "But I'm sure if our friends knew what was good for them, they wouldn't be doing so right now."

Softly smiling to themselves as the two warriors heard the foot steps of there four friends, whom had been listening in on the couples conversation up to that point hurriedly shuffle back down the hallway and down the staircase, on the other side of the wall.

"Why do I suddenly get the feeling that those four wouldn't just leave us alone, until one or both of us physically beats it in to them, kitten?" Po asked his feline lover while tenderly placing his paws upon her hers.

"They are just taken back that were mates now, that all, my sweet dumpling," Tigress said lovingly stroking the end of her tail over the front of the panda's right leg, "Besides I'm sure, they'll calm down about it by the time we get back home and if they aren't well then my fist are going to have something to say about that and even thought its very tempting to stay cuddled with you like this, I'm afraid if we did you wouldn't get much packing done, at least not the practical kind anyway."

"This mission has certainly been full of surprises but the growth our relationship has undergone is by far the best of them all," Po said clearly understanding what his mate meant without any confusion, "We'll just have to deal with that later on tonight then, my fine feline."

"I'll be waiting for you in our cabin wearing nothing but the flower you so lovingly placed atop my head, if I can hold off these feelings until then that is," Tigress growled a seductive edge coming to her voice as the female tiger began to feel the lustful fingers of her heat reaching up from deep inside, begging to be sexually satisfied once more despite having been thoroughly doused by the couples quickie earlier that morning, "As of this morning, I decided that I'm your mate first and a warrior second."

"Than I guess we shouldn't dilly-dally any longer then, huh," Po commented a playfulness coming to his own voice now, as he began to lightly pet her paws with his, "We can't make our friends, miss our ride back home just because we want to have a little fun."

"If you'd like I could go downstairs and just tell them to go back home without us, I'm sure that Master's Croc and Ox could always use a pair of good strong paws, around here to help with the clean up," Tigress suggested while teasingly pulling at the at the waist band of her lover's patchwork shorts with the fingers her left paw, "And then after the clean up was finished, we could go back home or who knows maybe we just might like it so much here, that we'll decide to stay for good."

"That's completely out of the questions, you two," the couple heard a stern voice casually comment from somewhere off to the side and turning their faces in that direction saw Shifu standing just inside to open door way, grinning at the two of them.

"Baba, how long have you been standing there?" Tigress asked clearly caught of guard by the sudden presence of her father inside the very same room as the two them never mind the fact that he had almost caught the two them in an intimate act.

"Long enough, to know that you two plan on leisurely enjoying the trip back and that you now consider yourself the Dragon Warriors mate first and a warrior second, my daughter," Shifu saidhis grin transforming into a soft understanding smile as he continued to stare at the lovelorn panda and tiger that stood in front of him intimately embracing one another, "I may not look it but I'll have you know that I have known what it feels like, to feel the touch of a woman that I held dear unfortunately it just was not meant to be for us and wish you two better luck at love than I. I also came to see how the packing was going but I take it that my presence interrupted one of your moments instead."

"That's ok, baba, it couldn't have come at a better time," Tigress said staring lovingly up in to the face of the panda she loved, "Po and I could pick this back up later but you could do something for us though."

"And what may I ask is that, daughter?" Shifu asked.

"Do you think that you could threaten the others with sever punishment, if they don't give us the privacy we need," Tigress answered seductively licking the tip of her tongue over her lips as the feline warrior felt the begging fingers of lust tug longingly at her libido, "Somehow I don't think a 'do not disturb' sign hanging from the handle of our room will prevent them from peeping inside and seeing something that they shouldn't."

"I will see to it that you two have all the privacy you need for the trip back, once we get back home however it will be up to you two, to choose when its best to have your little moments," Shifu said noticing the lust that lingered in the tigers eyes in addition to pure joy and happiness that mostly filled them as well, "As for the two of you rooming together, I shall allow it on the trip back but as soon as we return home I expect both of you to sleep in your own rooms or else you two will be spending date nights confined to the Jade Palace were I can keep an eye on you, do I make myself clear."

"Yes, Master," Po said.

"Yes, baba," Tigress said.

"Good than I suggest that you two focus all your energies on packing, the practical kind, that is because we are leaving for the harbor in five minutes," Shifu said already seeing the minds of the couple that stood before him, thinking of ways that they could get around his little threat if they were careful not to get caught by him each morning making the red panda smile on the inside.

With that the red panda turned on the spot and walked out of the room, leaving the two of them to finishing packing away Po's things, hopefully. Tenderly kissing her lover upon his check after he lifted his head from were it sat atop hers, a few moments later, the feline broke their lovers embrace and helped the panda finish packing before she lost all control to the physical desires of her heat. Gently placing her action figure with the others, minus the one of Mantis that he had used to deceive Shen so that they could make there escape after the crazed peacock had first captured them, the master of tiger style flip the top flap of the pack closed and after securely cinching its two straps inside there corresponded buckles, helped the Dragon Warrior put it on. Taking hold of Po's left paw with her right one as they walked out of the room themselves, Tigress intertwined their fingers and happily flashed a sideways smile at her mate as they descended the staircase. Meeting up with the rest of the Furious Five and Shifu in the reception area of the Golden Dragon Inn, just as they were about to head down toward the harbor, the couple walked right past them and pushing open the Inn's double front doors stepped out into the street for all the citizens of Gongmen City to see, that they were in a relationship and had no problems about showing it off for all of China to see before turning in the direction of the cities main harbor and walking toward it, left the rest of the group to catch up with them.

Casting their eyes over the vast harbor as the couple stood on what remained of the once lively wharf, twenty minutes later, and seeing a Junk moored to a make shift pier out in its crescent moon shaped bay, figured the vessel must have been there ride home since there were no other ships to speak of in the harbor. Catching up with Po and Tigress as they walked toward the makeshift pier, a few moments later, Shifu and the other four members of the Furious Five followed behind the couple as they headed toward the lone ship moored to it. Showing everyone to there cabins within the hold of the vessel as two members of its crew pulled the gang plank back aboard the ship, five minutes later, while another two members of its crew used a capon to wench back the thick mooring lines that had held it securely against the side of the makeshift pier. Below decks the Junk was nothing special, lit red paper lanterns periodical spaced illuminated the shadowy corridor that followed the keel of the ship casting enough light just to make out its confines so that one could see where they were and simple sail cloth hammocks hung from the deck support posts between the doorways that led to the vessels large cargo holds. Following behind Shifu with some difficultly as there eyes adjusted to the red light of below deck as the red panda led them toward the stern of the Junk, the group was forced to stop when a door suddenly blocked there progress forward but pressed onward after, a few moments, as the Grand Master's free paw located to recessed door handle and slid the blockage out of the way. On the other side of the door was a short corridor, lit with red lantern in each corner flooding the area with there scarlet light, off of which branched four rooms.

"Here are you rooms for the duration of our trip, now due to the limited space available on board for guest and to still have room for a full crew, all of you will have to double up," Shifu said being very carful how he worded his statement, so that it was clear that he expected all of his students to be on there best behavior despite having to share a room, "Now I had originally planned the sleeping arrangements differently and to prevent any further fights amongst you four, I have made a few necessary changes. Po and Tigress, the room in the far left corner shall be yours,Monkey and Mantis yours is directly across from theirs, leaving Crane and Viper sharing the room to our immediate left. I do hope that's okay with you, Viper, my original arrangement had you rooming with Tigress but since she and Po refuse to be separated, I trust Crane wouldn't give you any trouble."

"It wouldn't be a problem, Master," Viper answered gazing down at the floor to hid the faint blush that was beginning to cover her cheeks, "But if I may ask, just where are you going to be staying?"

"I am going to be sleep in that room right there," the Grand Master said pointing to the only available cabin with the forked end of his staff clutched inside of his right paw, "Now before I release you to do as you please, I have a few things to tell all of you. Firstly, remember we are guests aboard this vessel, so don't get in the crews way as they go about there duties and secondly, don't bother Po and Tigress too much ok, unless you want to run a million laps up and down the steps leading toward the Jade Palace while carry a yoke laden with two buckets full of water."

"Yeah right, like that's ever going to happen," Mantis chuckled rubbing his pincers together while eyeing the two warriors evilly, eagerly looking forward to a very detailed explanation of just how the tiger and panda had spend the previous night the first chance he got, "Even you aren't that heartless, Master."

"Is that so, Mantis, than why don't you try me," Shifu said sternly briefly meeting the insects eyes with his own, making him recoil, before sweeping his gaze over the rest of the group finally coming to rest gently upon the warrior couple, "Now if any of you need me, I shall be up on the bridge talking with the captain. Feel free to explore the ship or what ever, just remember the guide lines I told you."

Bowing respectfully back at his six students after they had first bowed toward him, a few moments later, the red panda turned around and sliding open the door to there accommodations returned to the bright sunlight and fresh salty sea air of the deck above there heads. Taking Po by his paw and walking over toward their room for the duration of the voyage back home, the feline warrior pulled open the door and the two stepped inside. Not even bothering to light the red lantern that hung from the ceiling, Tigress locked the door behind them with her free paw before locating the straps of her mates pack with both of her paws and sliding it off his broad back. Turning around on the balls of his foot simple sandaled foot paws as he felt the heavy weight of his pack slid completely from his back, landing with a muffled thud upon the wide planks of the floor, mere seconds later, the Dragon Warrior lustfully pinned the sexy female tiger against the cabin door back first and planted a deep sensuous kiss upon her lips. Caving to the sexual desires of her libido while she wrapped her paws around the neck of her panda companion, further deepening their already quite lustful kiss, tigress closed her beautiful glowing eyes and growled a long low moan into her mate's mouth. Feeling the silken material of her vest beginning the pull away from her torso, a few moments later, as Po undid its cloth buttons revealing her nude body beneath it, the female tiger felt her fur stand on its end in excitement whilst a loud purr began to rumble from her throat instinctively.

Meanwhile still standing in the short corridor just outside of the two lovers room, well within ear shot of what was going on behind the closed door, the other four members of the Furious Five all exchanged quick glances with one another before deciding collectively to head up on deck as well. Feigning following the others Mantis followed the Viper, Crane and Monkey until they where a short distance away from there rooms, a few moments later, the tiny green insect quickly double backed and slid the door closed behind him. Pressing his ear against the closed door of the warrior couples room, just as the lovers where engaging in foreplay and judging by cutesy giggling growl and nearly constant purr that met his tiny ears it sounded as thought the two were having a very fun time indeed. Had mantis been more keen to his surroundings instead of, the goings on in Po and Tigress room the tiny green insect would not have been blindside by the incoming whack to the back of his head by Viper.

"Oh, hi there, Viper," Mantis casually commented, rubbing the back of his with one of his pincers where the green tree snake had hit him with the end of her tail, "What are you downing down here, shouldn't you be up on deck with Crane and Monkey?"

"I figured that you would pull a stunt like this, Mantis, so I hung back a bit," Viper hissed venomously down the cowering insect before her as the action inside of Po and Tigress' room began to get more heated, judging by the sounds that were now emitting from it, "You herd Master Shifu just now, we are to give them there space and privacy, so get a move on or Shifu's punishment will be the least of your worries."

"Like there is anything that you can do to stop me, Viper," Mantis countered, the majority of his attention still drawn to the warrior couples room and judging by the sounds that were emitting from it, the action on the inside was just beginning to get really good.

"Mantis, you still love Po's secret ingredient soup right," Viper snapped back thinking quickly, not wanting to draw out either of there stays in front of the panda and tigers room for much longer, growing uncomfortable with the atmosphere that the lovelorn warriors were filling the space with, "Do you still think, that he would ever allow its deliciousness to pass your lips ever again, if he found out about this because he just might not if you don't do as our Master instructed us."

"Viper, that's low even for you," Mantis bit back, a gasp that the serpent would be so devious to use his love for the Dragon Warriors secret ingredient soup against him, "You wouldn't dare."

"Care to tempt me," Viper commented while a devilish grin began to spread across her face, sensing victory within sight, knowing just how much Mantis loved the panda's soup that he wouldn't risk losing it.

"Not really, you villainous serpent," Mantis said defeated, unwilling to lose a single drop of the soup that he so carved.

Taking one last long look at the warrior couples room as loud grunts and lustful growls could be clearly herd out in the short corridor, the incest and tree snake were standing in, Mantis tore his gaze away form the securely locked door and hopped out of the room. Closing the door behind her with the end of her tail as she slithered out of the guest quarters herself, a few moments later, Viper's evil grin turned into a soft smile as the serpent remembered just how much happier her best friend was especially when she was around or close by Po. Joining the rest of the Furious Five back up on deck, a few minutes later, she slithered over toward where Crane stood looking out over the calm surface of the sea and felt her heart skip a beat as the two of them looked out over the serene scene.

"Xia He, what kept you?" Carne asked side stepping closer to the green tree snake, not taking his eyes off the calm sea as he did so.

"I figured Mantis, might try something despite Shifu's harsh warning and was I right," Viper answered the avian, shrugging off his right wing as he attempted to lightly stroke it over her back, "Crane, not here, what if someone catches us it's to risky."

"So what if someone did, Viper, I'm tired of keeping the true depth of our relationship hidden form our friends," Crane said folding his wing back against his side, "I can understand if you're worried about Shifu's reaction but if he's fine with Rome and Juliet being together, than I see no reason why we still have to keep ours a secret. I do love you, very deeply but sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who's really giving it there all as far as our relationship is concerned and if we continue on like this, than maybe it would be just for the best if we ended right here and now."

"Crane, are you saying that you what us to breakup because if that's the case than why don't you just come out and say it, instead of beating around the bush," Viper hissed clearly stung by her boyfriends words, "I want us to be as open about our relationship as those two below deck, I really do but its not Shifu's reaction I'm worried about, its my fathers. Let's just say that he and birds don't exactly get along, darling, and if word ever reached him about us in any compactly as more than comrades', I have no idea at how he'll react to the news that his little girl was all grown up and involved with a bird."

"Xia He, I'm sure your just over-thinking this, after all what kind of father wouldn't be happy to see one of there children happy themselves," Crane commented tenderly wrapping his right wing around the serpents back understanding why she was so reluctant to allow their relationship out of the bag, this time she didn't shrug him off, "Just look at Shifu, for example, for the longest time he never smiled but just today all of us have seen him do it twice, and I'm sure father will be just as happy to learn that you have someone whom loves you for who you are as well even if that special someone just happens to be a bird."

"Maybe your right, Crane, perhaps I'm thinking about it to much besides even if his dose disown me from pursuing a relationship with you, I'll still have a family of sorts in you and the rest of the five, right," Viper said slithering sideways and nestling against the avian's flank, briefly closing her eyes as she enjoyed the feel of his soft fathers rubbing over the scales of her slender body, "At the very least our friends should know about us, I'll worry about the rest of my family later."

"Funny, I never thought of us as being a family but I guess when you really think about it we act like a family does," Crane commented holding onto the serpent a little closer, "Speaking of families, Viper, how do you think Mr. Ping is going to react, when he learns that he's no doubt going to have a tiger as an in-law pretty soon especially since those two don't seem to be able to keep their paws off one another?"

"I don't think he'll mind one bit, Crane," Viper said partially opening her closed eyes, "Judging by the way Po reacted to him just handling Tigress' action figure before we lift the Valley of Peace, I have a feeling that he has known about his son's soft spot toward her for quite sometime and shall welcome the feline into the family with wide open wings."

**It looks like Tigress wasn't the only one with a secret lover in her heart, now I wonder how Master Shifu is going to react to this well you're just going to have to wait for the next chapter to find that out. **

**Xia He means summer Lotus, so it seemed to be a very fitting pet name for Crane to have for her. **


	4. Home Coming

**Happy Easter, everyone and in keeping with the holiday tradition here's an egg to celebrate it with, enjoy. I have added a new character of my own creation in this chapter, a sea Otter named Captain Tai Yang; Tai Young means sun. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own KFP in any form. **

**Chapter Four, **

**Home Coming **

Compared to the mostly over land route that the Five and Dragon Warrior had taken to get to Gongmen City the first time, traveling by the sea was substantially quicker and after a three day voyage over calm open water and a day trip down a pawful of rivers, the captain of the Jade Dragon, which was the proper name of the vessel they were currently aboard, ordered the crew to prepare for mooring in his gruff sailors voice. Stepping up onto the wide open deck as the sea otter and sea rat crew tossed the heavy mooring ropes over the side of the junk while two otter crew members jumped over the side after them and mightily lifting the thick ropes around either corner post of the pier in the shadow of the mountain that the Jade Palace sat atop, a few moments later, pulled the vessel toward it. With the Junk securely moored to the pier, a couple of minutes later, and the gang blank in position so that the Five, Po and there Master could disembark the vessel, Captain Tai Yang, a salty old sea otter with a patch cover one eye, a vertical scar over the other and a cutlass hanging from the sword belt around the waist of his dark red silk pants descended from were he stood upon the bridge to the vast open air deck below to see them ashore.

"Master Shifu, it was a honor that me and my crew could be of service to you and your students," the old salty sea dog said removing his single red feathered black leather tri-corner hat with one paw while he respectfully bowed toward the group as the all stood upon the deeply shadowed pier, "If you even have need of other vessel again, just send word and we shall be happy to appliqué."

"Captain Tai Yang, on behalf of myself and all of my students, thank you for your assistance," the red panda said bowing back toward the savage looking sea otter and was soon joined by the Five and Dragon Warrior before straightening up, a few moments later, and placing his free paw atop the otter's forehead added, "Have a safe journey, where ever the water and wind may carry you."

"With your blessing, good sir, I have no doubt we shall," Captain Tai Yang commented replacing his hat upon his head as the kung fu Grand Master withdrew his paw and standing tall, swept his sliver-grey eyes over the group of warriors that stood before him adding in a drool, "Mast'r Dragon Warrior, the love of a kind, understandin' women is a treasure like none other and a rare gem to find in this world nowadays, so take it from an old salty sea dog such as I, look after that fine lass for the beautiful flower that she is and she shall never leave your side."

"Thank you for your advice Captain Tai Yang," Po commented slipping his left arm around over the back of the female tiger that stood beside him and tenderly embraced her left hip with its paw, "Tigress certainly is one of a kind and I shall always cherish my feisty feline."

"And I shall always, do my best to keep you happy, my plush panda," Tigress said leaning against Po's side, a soft purr rumbling from her throat while she nestled her head against the side of his neck, "Baba, I don't know what you had planned upon our return but could we be excused for a little while."

"You two are free to go," Shifu said inwardly sighing already envisioning the mountain of mediation that the couple would cause him, never mind the little less than innocent intend that his fatherly senses detected concealed in his adoptive daughters tone, "Just remember what we discussed in private before we left Gongmen City and if you two happen to stop by Mr. Ping's don't forget to tell him the good news, I suspect that he has been patiently waiting for this to happen, longer than you dare to know."

"Of course we'll tell him," Po answered a slightly confused expression upon his face as stared other at the smaller red panda, "Just where did you think we were headed, I just hope that he doesn't say or do anything to embarrass me in front of Tigress."

"Oh, that reminds me tomorrow morning I'll have to get you two to sit for, the palace portrait artist and then we can have our nice little chat, just the three of us," Shifu said soft smiling at the hapless giant panda knowingly, whom he knew would soon be his son-in-law if things kept going the way that were between Po and Tigress; recalling just how little he or the rest of the Five had seen the inter-species couple during the four day voyage back home.

"We shall see you then, baba,"Tigress said snuggling even closer into Po's left side and loving staring deep in to the bright jade green eyes of the panda she loved as she nestled her head against the front of his shoulder before adding, "Well, darling, shall we be on our way. I just hope that any possible rumors surrounding our relationship have not reached the Valley of Peace ahead of us or it will ruin the big surprise."

"There's only one way to find that out, kitten, lets head down into the village and show off the love that we hold for one another," Po said his left paw now sitting a little over an inch away from her belly button having moved with her body as she had nestled closer to him, "See you all later."

Po waved goodbye to Mantis, Monkey, Crane, Viper, Shifu and Captain Tai Yang with his free left paw, a few moments later, before the panda and tiger turned away from the rest of the group and began to make their way up the back entrance of the Jade Palace. Accidentally bumping into Zang, the palace's messenger, as they approached the second landing of the zigzagging staircase that had been hone out of the mountains backside, only having climbed a third of a way up toward the palace it was clear just from his reaction of seeing the two of them so intimately cuddled, that any rumors of their relationship had yet to reach the Valley. Helping the messenger goose to his webbed feet, Po and Tigress noticed that he was carrying a scroll under his left wing and even though they were curious to learn what was written upon it, dusted Zang off and continued on there way up the staircase while he went the other, down toward the dock that they had just left. Putting the countless possibilities of the scrolls contents in the back of their minds for the time being, the inner-species couple kept on climbing the winding staircase. Warming smiling at her panda companion as he learned against retaining wall of the training hall courtyard, to catch his breath following the long climb up the back staircase which had twice the number of stairs as the one in the front, the feline was pleased that Po had made it all the way to the top without tripping or throwing up even once which was an achievement in itself since apart from the training dummy, stairs always tended to give the happy-go-lucky Dragon Warrior the most trouble.

Happily slipping her right paw inside of his left one once he had recovered, five minutes later, and intertwining their fingers together, tenderly kissed Po upon the cheek before pulling away and matching him step from step, the warrior couple headed down into the Valley of Peace for all of it citizens to bask in the presence of their love. Snuggling up against Po's side as they neared the bottom of the front staircase, a short time later, Tigress felt a little nervous about revealing the new her yet at the same time was excited to show the villagers, that there was more to her than just being one of there protectors and that she had a life outside of kung fu. As they stepped of the landing at the bottom of the stairs, a few moments later, and began to walk in the direction of Mr. Ping's restaurant, the panda and tiger occasionally glanced around at the villagers and noticed that each and everyone they walked past seemed to be waiting with baited breath for the couple to do something other than just holding paws. By the time they stood outside of the rounded entrance of Dragon Warrior noodles and Tofu a substantial crowd had gathered around the couple, entire families had stopped whatever they were doing to see what was going on and wide-eyed children lined the inside of the rough semi-circle that had formed around the two warriors. Softly smiling at one another, Tigress tenderly slipped her left paw over the top of Po's left shoulder while he leaned his head toward hers. A roaring cry of wolf whistles, cheers of joy and applause filled the air as the panda and tiger's lips met in a tender loving kiss, a few moments later, and a soft warm purr emitted from the feline while they locked lips. Sweetly rubbing noses over one another's as they broke apart, a couple of minutes later, an audible awe swept through the crowd of onlookers as the pure happiness and love that filled Po and Tigress' eyes was clearly visible for all present to see, including Mr. Ping whom had walked out of his jam packed restaurant to see what all the hubbub was about.

"Son, your back and with great news, I trust," the noodle loving goose cried joyously running forward and wrapping both of his wings around the still embracing couple as best as he could, "Cause from what I've just seen, it would appear as thought you and Master Tigress are dating now."

"It feels great to be back home, dad," Po said staring down at the goose as he and his beloved tiger now pressed their foreheads against one another's tenderly, "And thank you for taking me in all those years ago. As for me and my heavenly kitten, here, yes we are now a couple and couldn't possibly be any happier."

"Master Tigress, you have just had this old goose very happy, very happy indeed," Mr. Ping squeaked excitedly genuinely happy for the two of them, removing his wings from around the two of them and slipping them around only the felines lovingly added, "I graciously with wide open wings, welcome you into our family."

"Thank you, Mr. Ping, it's an honor to be so warmly welcomed into your family but I'm afraid that I can't take all the credit for the profound changes that I have underwent these past three years," Tigress commented lightly nuzzling her beloved panda over the muzzle before pulling way and warmly smiling at him as she rested her head against the front of his right shoulder continued, "They wouldn't have even been possible, without the guidance of your patient and kindhearted son."

"Oh, jeez, so much for me worry about my dad being the one to say something embarrassing like that," Po said embracing Tigress in a gently one armed hug as his adoptive father released his, a few moments later, feeling his cheeks being to get warm, "When it was really you, that I should have been looking out for, huh, kitten."

"Well, its true, dumpling," Tigress cooed sweetly drumming the fingers of her left paw upon the plush fur that covered his chest, "I never would have been able to get in touch with or even understand my emotions without you, so there is no reason for you to be the slightest bit embarrassed about it. I love you with all of my heart and want the entire world to know that."

"Even after all that you have put me through, you know that I can't stay mad at you especially not when you touch me like that and speak so tenderly," Po said in a low voice just loud enough for the feline to hear him before wrapping his free arm around her waist as he performed a side step and passionately pressed his lips against hers in a deep sensuous kiss while he dipped the female tiger slightly.

Slipping both of her arms around her beloveds neck as the intense passion of the moment swept over her, Tigress briefly closed her eyes and tilted her ears back as the couples snaked their tongues into the others partially open mouth. Practically making out for the entire world to see, right in front of his fathers restaurant, the panda and tiger both blushed profusely as they suddenly realized just where they were and straightened up nervously glanced around only to find that the crowd had dispersed and returned to there usually routines. Non-chalantly twiddling the pin-feathers of his wings behind his back as he stared knowingly up at the couple, Mr. Ping offered to close down the restaurant for a little while if they wanted to have some private time. Blushing even more over what the goose had just said, which was the last thing that Po ever thought that he would ever hear his adoptive father say since he rarely closed the shop for anything, the Dragon Warrior face palmed himself with his free right paw far to embarrassed to say anything back. Sharing in the embarrassment of the situation, Tigress cheeks flushed such a bright shade of red that it actually showed through her striped orange and black fur while the in back of her mind the feline actual found the idea rather appealing but didn't want to impose upon her father-in-laws normally packed restaurant so graciously told Mr. Ping that they merely got caught up in the intensity of the moment and had other plans to attend to.

Seeing right through the feline warriors answer for the lie that it was, just by the flames that danced in the yellow depths of her eyes, but playing along with her charade away accepted what she had said as the truth and after congratulating them on finally getting together, waddled back inside the restaurant saying that he would keep a table reserved for the two of them, if they felt like stopping by for a bite to eat later on that evening. Flashing a warm sideways smile toward her panda companion as Mr. Ping stepped back inside of his shop, a few moments later, Tigress snuggled up against Po's left side and teasingly sweeping the end of her tail over the back of his legs, took the led and guided them in the direction of the nearby bridge that led out of the village and into the dense ironwood forest on its western side. Wondering just where in the world the female tiger was taking him as the couple crossed the bridge and left the village behind them, a minute later, the oblivious as ever panda began to tenderly stroke the fingers of his left paw over the felines back without even realizing. Pressing her body even closer to his as they walked under the slightly filtered light of the ironwood trees that flanked either side of the path they were walking down a short time later, Tigress licked her tongue over the side of his neck and lightly nuzzled him with her muzzle while on the inside she fought off the lust of heat until they had at least reached there destination. Veering off the path and pulling the Dragon Warrior through the densely growing ironwood trees with some difficulty due to his girth, a little later, the feline warrior released her hold upon his left paw as the couple emerged from the ironwood trees and stood in the edge of a tiny secluded clearing with two boulders jutting out of the ground at its center.

"Kitten, just where are?" Po asked his feline companion as she stood before him with her back facing him.

"Do you remember, what I told you on the boat about training until I could no longer feel any pain in my paws?" the master of tiger style answered back with a question of her own, briefly stopping undoing the cloth buttons of her silk vest and staring down at her palms of both her hand paws before lightly sighing and resuming her previous actions, "Well my sweet dumpling, this is where I spent countless hours training in secret to achieve that goal but then by some miracle that night as we tenderly embraced one another upon the shattered remains of Gongmen Cities wharf, I began to feel the feeling returning to them. The feeling of your plush fur running beneath them made my heart go all a flutter and now that where together I don't ever want us to be apart or for there to be any secrets between us. This place holds a special place in my heart but so do you, darling, and now I want to start this new phase of our life together by making a new, far happier memory in this place."

Turning around on the balls of her thinly sandal clad foot paws as she finished speaking, the female tiger walked toward her panda lover and slipping her arms around his neck, interlocking the fingers of her hands together as they came to rest upon its nape pulled him into a deep heat fueled lustful kiss. Realizing just why she had brought the two of them to her secret hideaway as he began to return her kiss with one of his own, mere seconds later, Po slid both of his hand paws over her hips and underneath the material of her unbuttoned silk vest. Purring as she felt the Dragon Warrior began to gently sweep the fingertips of his nimble hand paws over her lower back, Tigress deepened their passionate kiss even further, her usually dominance replaced by a desire to be the one that was dominated. Picking up on this subtle change in the tiger's nature, Po held the feline close with his left paw and lovingly sliding his other up the front of her torso, gently pulled her vest off. Looking deep into onto one another's eyes as they broke apart for air and the silk garment fall onto the ground behind her, a few moments later, the two warriors lovingly rubbed their nose against the others before resuming their deep sensuous kissing.

Returning to the village just as the sun was setting five hours later, reeking of sex as well as having matted fur in several places upon each of them, Po and Tigress headed right for Dragon Warrior noodles and Tofu to take Mr. Ping up on his earlier statement about reserving a table for the couple. As usually the restaurant was packed to capacity with local villagers by the time that the two warriors stood outside of its entrance but spotting them from the kitchen as he finished serving a customer there order, the noodle loving goose rushed out to met the couple with a hug. Telling Mr. Ping that they had come to take him up on his statement from earlier that day after hugging him back, a few moments later, before taking it back given how busy he was saying that they would come back for something to eat later. Shrugging off the later part of the couples statement, as if he had not heard it even though in actuality he had, the noodle loving goose told the panda and tiger that had set aside a special area just for the two of them before insisting that they just come inside, since they were already there. Following Mr. Ping back inside the restaurant, through the packed tables in the main dinning area while villagers congratulated the couple on getting together and through the kitchen door, the Dragon Warrior knew just where his adoptive father was leading them; his old bedroom/storage area. Feeling the pit of his stomach begin to tie itself in knots as the goose pushed the door of his old bedroom open, Po carefully watched Tigress for her reaction since it was the first time that the feline would ever step foot into an the area that he had previously lived in prior to moving into the Jade Palace.

A sense of relief washed over him as the Dragon Warrior watched an adorable smile cross the felines features as she took in the room while Mr. Ping lead the couple over toward the low table that he had set up in the middle of it. Telling the two of them to make themselves at home as he left the get there food, a few moments later, the goose softly smiled as he glanced back over his shoulder at the pair before partially closing the door behind him on his way out.

"So this is were you used to live before you joined us, huh, dumpling," Tigress commented cuddling against his side as she sat down on the floor next to her panda companion, "It's not at all what I thought I would be like, its actually quite quaint and far clearer than your current room up at the Jade Palace."

"Well thank you, kitten, you see I had to keep it nice and neat because it also doubles as storage for the restaurant down stairs," Po answered before turning his head to the left and staring into the felines amber irises with his bright jade green as what she had just said fully sank in, "And just how would you know that my current bedroom back at the Jade Palace isn't as organized as my old one, unless you've been sneaking inside if it without my knowledge."

"Um, well, you see that's just the thing, darling, even though we just officially started dating, technically speaking this that is, this far from the first time that we have been so intimately close," Tigress answered honestly, a nervous edge coming to her voice as the female tiger prepared to openly admit a secret that she had kept only to herself for the past three year, "Now then how can I put this, you see it all started a few days after you defeated Tai Lung, I was having trouble falling asleep that night so I got up hoping that some mediating would calm my mind but then just as I was about to enter a trance like state, I over-heard you mumble my name in your sleep. Shrugging it off as nothing the first time it happened, I returned to my mediation but when I heard you mumble my name for a second time, not long after the first time, it perked my curiosity as to what you were dreaming about and just how it was connected to me so I stood up and crossing the hallway sneaked inside your bedroom. Once inside I came across you sleeping on your side, gently caressing my action figure clutched in both your hands and talking to it as if it was really me, telling me just how scared you were when you saw my paralyzed body when Crane brought us back and went on to saw that you loved me with all your heart and always would even if I didn't feel the same way about you.

Feeling happy tears begin to pool in the corners of my eyes, at the open concern that you had for me despite of how mean that I had acted toward you, I wiped away my tears with the side of my arm before stripping down to just my bindings and after carefully easing the action figure out of your paws and setting it down on the floor, took its place. Softly purring as I felt you embrace my body in your strong yet gentle arms, I placed my paws atop yours and was finally able to fall asleep. The following morning, I wake up an hour before the gong was rung, got dressed and replaced the action figure in your paws. That was the first night that we, technically speaking that is, slept together. After that night I would alternate between my room and yours, but sometimes if I was feeling particularly lonely I would spent ever night with you. But every morning before I left, I would make sure to tenderly kiss you upon the forehead or lips and tell you the words that I was to afraid to openly admit at the time, but now can do so comfortable, that I loved you."

"So that one morning that I still half asleep woke up to you loving rubbing your nose over mine before the two of us kissed, and you telling that I was just having a really good dream, actually did happen?" Po asked still in a state of complete shock that, he had unwittingly been involved in a very intimate relationship with the feline nestled against his side over the past three years without even realizing it until her confession, "You think I would have noticed something, like you sneaking in and out of my bed every night but if snuggling with me helped you to sleep more comfortable, than I guess its fine."

"If I have learned anything from cuddling with you, more often than not, over these past three years its that you sure are one sound sleeper, my love," Tigress said feeling shameful tears well up in the corners of her love filled eyes over having so savagely deceived the man that she loved just because she was afraid of what would happen, if she openly admitted that she had fallen for the kind and lovable giant panda long before she recently had the courage to "Truthfully, I have been happy to wake up at your side, for so long, and I dreaded the thought of having to leave you every morning. I just hope that you can find it inside of that big heart of yours to forgive me, dumpling."

"But of course, I forgive you, kitten," Po said lifting his free right paw and tenderly sweeping away the tears as they now streaked down her cheeks, "Come now no more sad tears over stuff that has already happened, from now on the only tears that I want to see you shed are tears of joy, ok."

"Ok, dumpling," Tigress said raising her left hand paw and lovingly cupping her understanding mates right cheek with it, briefly rubbed their noses together before pressing her lips against his in a sweet tender kiss.

Braking apart, a few moments later, purring happily the female tiger laid her head atop her companies shoulder and sighing dreamly cuddled even closer, happy to finally be rid of all her secrets and ready to start this new phase of their life together with a clear conscious free of any of her previous self-doubts. Clearing his throat loudly to announce his return with there food as the not catch the couple unaware, a minute or two later, Mr. Ping walked inside of his sons old bedroom with two bowls of his infamous secret ingredient soup set upon a tray with two lidded cups and a steaming pot of perfectly brewed tea. Telling the two warriors to eat as much as they wanted while he placed the tray down upon the low table they sat nestled together at, the restaurant owner waddled out of the room and firmly shutting the door behind him gave the couple plenty of privacy to enjoy there diner in peace without the staring eyes of the villagers bothering them. Stacking the dirty dishes upon the tray after they had finished, a short time later, Po lightly kissed Tigress upon her forehead markings before pulling away and standing up. Watching as her panda companion leaned down and picked up the tray that the dirty dishes were on to carry it back to the kitchen downstairs, a sly idea began to take shape in her mind; if she was to help Po prepare breakfast every morning and diner each night, than the two could spend a few extra hours together everyday.

Mulling over the idea further as her monochrome lover left to return the tray and dirty dishes to the kitchen below them, the feline fell in love with the brilliant simplicity of it. Feeling confident that Po would not shoot down her cunning idea when she told him about it as they cuddled underneath the sheet of his bed later on that evening, Tigress stood up and blow out the lantern that filled the room with its soft light before heading downstairs herself. Slipping her right paw into his left one as the couple met up at the base of the stairs, a few moments later, the master of tiger style thanked Mr. Ping for the food whom said it was nothing special before turning to face her panda companion and suggesting that they head back to the Jade Palace before it got too late unsure of what possible duties or training they might have to get caught up on. Showing the warrior couple out of the restaurant after giving each of them one last hug, the noodle loving goose happily waved goodbye to the panda and tiger as they walked in the direction of the mountain top palace before turning back around and tending to the rest of his customers. Pushing open the gates of the training hall courtyard, a short time later, the two warriors had only taken a few steps inside of the walled area when they crossed paths with Shifu and the other four members of the Furious Five.

"Good evening, Master, we're back," Po said quickly bowing his head respectfully at the group, "You should have seen how happy he was when I told him that Tigress and I are a couple now, not only that but he openly accepted her into our family and everything, it was really quite embarrassing to be honest."

"Dragon Warrior, you have matured greatly since you first arrived here but I'm glad to see that some things will never change no matter how much you grow," Shifu commented softly smiling up at the warrior couple that stood before him, "The rest of the Master's and myself, will by down in the Valley for a few hours so behave yourselves and don't forget about our meeting tomorrow morning either you two."

"Don't worry about it, baba, the Jade Palace is in safe paws with the two of us, so why don't you guys just relax and have a good time in the Valley," Tigress said in a reassuring tone while nestling intimately close against Po's side, a soft purr emitting from her, "All of you really need to let your fur down every once in a while, to take a step back from kung fu all the time and just enjoy the simple facets of everyday life."

"I don't know about the rest of you but I'm really beginning to warm up to the new leave that Tigress has turned over," Mantis commented rubbing his pincers one over the other from where he stood atop of Monkey's left shoulder, "She's not so cold and calculating as she was before."

"Mantis, don't you even begin to think for one second that I have forgotten about what you or Monkey said back in Gongmen City just before we left because I haven't," Tigress growled sweetly, her voice warm and loving yet deadly serious at the same time, "Just you wait until training resumes, I can assure you that neither of you, will still think that I am as soft as you currently think I am afterward. Just because I'm softer and more loving now than I was before, it doesn't mean that my claws haven't lost there sharp edges or my pride as a warrior has lessened any."

"Wait to go, Mantis, now you've gone and done it both of us are going to pay dearly for that," Monkey said shaking his head in disbelieve that the insect that stood atop his shoulder, still lacked self control when it came to running his mouth, especially around the new gentler, warmer Tigress, "You really don't know when to quit, do you."

"Nope, not even for a single second," Mantis countered, smirking at Monkey, "Sometime's they make it so easy, it's just too darn hard to resist."

"I'm certain that you wouldn't be able to say, that with the same confidence that your are presently, if Tigress wasn't I such a good mood right now," Viper commented adding her own thoughts to the conversation, noticing the pure happiness that filled the depths of the felines eyes as well as the subdued flames of lust that mingled with it, "Other wise she would have chased you half way through the village by now for what you just said, Mantis."

"I really don't think this I the type of conversation we audit to be having so casually nor publicly, students," Shifu said slamming the end of his forked staff upon the stone blocks of the courtyard walkway, to get there attention before adding, "How Po and Tigress choose to spent there time outside of training is none of our concern, so lets just leave it at that shall we. However for those of you that can not seem to get that their relationship in none of your business, through your thick skulls than expect to be severely punished by training on the obstacle course non-stop for three days straight without a single break or drop of water to quench your thirst. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Master," Viper, Crane, Mantis and Monkey answered in unison.

"Good, than lets be on our way shall we," Shifu said inwardly sighing at the headache the two warriors relationship was giving him and they had not even been back home for a whole day yet, "Now I don't know about the rest of you but I'm hungry, and could really go for a bowl or two of Mr. Ping's secret ingredient soup."

"Yeah, Mr. Ping's secret ingredient soup is the best," Crane said rustling his wings briefly, "I wonder what he puts in it that makes it taste so wonderfully delicious, not that yours isn't equally as good Po."

"You wouldn't believe it even if I told you, Crane, trust me," Po muttered under his breath just loud enough for him and the feline at his side to hear before saying in a louder voice, "Oh, don't worry about it Crane, I'm pleased that you think so highly of my cooking after all everything that I know how to make, I learned form my dad."

"And everything meal that you makes for us, tastes amazing, dumpling," Tigress cooed whilst rubbing her cheek over the side of the Dragon Warriors neck tenderly, "I just think that my baba, wants to give you a night off, isn't that right baba?"

"Sure is my daughter, Po you're a first rate chef but even a cook of your caliber can use some time to themselves every once in a while," Shifu said casting a warm look over the two love-loren warriors, "That's how come I have decided, that come tomorrow morning to give all of you the next seven days off, after all that you have been through on this past mission and the steadfast determination that you have showed in your duties over the years, you have more than earned it."

Thanking there Master for the time off, since it had been quite sometime since he had given them such a long break form training to do with as they pleased, each individual master looked forward to cramming as much fun into the next seven days that they could since it was hard to tell when they would get any time off again, especially in their line of work. Reminding Po and Tigress to behave while the two warriors briefly had the Jade Palace all to themselves, Shifu dare not even begin to imagine just how they planed to spend their time off, apart from no doubt spending ever second of it together. Pulling the main gates of the training hall courtyard closed behind him, a few moments later, the red panda bid them goodbye before hurrying to catch up with the rest of his students whom he had told to go ahead of him. Happily content from their naughty fun earlier that afternoon to take advantage of the Palaces brief emptiness even if they wanted to, the panda and tiger allowed the moment to pass by without reaction and smiling warmly at one another the couple briefly shared a tender kiss before continuing walking in the direction of the student barracks, looking forward to cuddling the night away under the sheet of his bed. Taking advantage of the Palaces brief emptiness, Tigress moved her bed from her room into that of Po's, with no intentions of every moving it back across the hallway to her room where it belonged, never wanting to spend a single night without his company ever again, and securely lashed the two simple bamboo beds together with a length of rope.

Picking up the lantern from where it sat upon the floor with her left hand paw and blowing out its flame before setting it back down, five minutes later, the feline warrior crawled under the sheet of the couples make-shift double bed and with a low purr rambling form her throat, snuggled into the plush fur that covered her black and white mates vast stomach, relishing the feel of it as it interwove with the silky smooth fur that covered her from head to toe. Nestling even closer into her panda companion as she felt him wrap his arms around her sexy slender female form in a lover's embrace, mere moments later, a soft growl slip from her lips as his panda-hood accidently found its way inside of her loins. Tenderly kissing Po over his cheek, happy to feel him inside of her even though she know it had not been his initial indent when he had moved to embrace her, Tigress grinned up on him until his fleshy member firmly plugged her pussy before stopping and sighing dreamingly baited the Dragon Warrior into a deep sensuous goodnight kiss. Firmly closing her eyes as the inter-species' couple broke there kiss, a minute later, the female tiger lightly rubbed her nose over that of her mates before laying her head down and falling asleep in her lover's arms. Watching his feline companion while she peacefully slept in their bed, Po leaned down and placed one last tender kiss briefly upon her beautiful forehead markings before lying down behind her and falling into a deep sleep himself, still awe-struck at what a lucky guy he was to have such a beautiful feline to call his own.

Uncharacteristically checking to make sure that all of his students were obeying Palace rules, by sleeping in their own bedrooms now that they were back home and didn't have to share like they had to during the voyage aboard the Jade Dragon, later on that evening well after they had gone to bed following there return from the Valley below, the Grand Master was very pleased to see that Monkey, Mantis, Viper and Crane where soundly asleep in each of their rooms respectfully which was to be expected but what he really wanted to see is how Po and Tigress were dealing with the separation. Hearing the sound of two light snores coming from the Dragon warriors quarters as he approached, the red panda don't even bother with checking Tigress room to see if she was inside it because his fatherly instincts told him otherwise and so quietly pushing open the doors to Po's bedroom just wide enough to peek in, sure enough found the two of them inside sound asleep in each others arms. Casting his gaze over the way that the sheet covered the two of them as they slept it was obvious just from the way that it hugged there intimately nestled bodies neither one was clothed and what was worse sweeping his eye downward toward the floor could see that the two had tied there beds together. Pondering just how long the two of them thought that they would be able to kept this sleeping arrangement up without him catching on, Shifu thoughts drifted back to the scroll that Zang had delivered him earlier that morning and slyly smiling over the message it held, formulated a little plan of his own; if they waited to kept sleeping together behind his back, like a married couple and share the same bed, than it was time for a little life lesson about the possible consequences' of such actions. Quietly closing the doors of Po's room, a few moments later, the Grand Master, left the couple to there dreams instead of chewing them out for the clear violation of Palace rules and returning to his own quarters on the lower level below that of his students, wrote a response to the matron sheep of Bau Gu Orphanage telling her that Master Tigress and the Dragon Warrior would be paying her a visit in a few day time. Setting the scroll aside to dry, a few moments later, so that Zang could deliver it the following morning, Shifu changed into his sleeping cloths before blowing out the lit lantern and crawling under the sheet of his single bed feel asleep with a faint smirk upon his face.

**I hope all you readers enjoyed that chapter, as usual plz R&R. **


	5. A gift from one mother to Antoher

**The cast grows once again with the addition of one more character of my own creation, I****'****m not going too far into detail here or else it might just ruin the surprise. Anyway back to the story. **

**Disclaimer: I don****'****t own KFP or any of the rights contacted to it. **

**Chapter Five, **

**A gift from one mother to another**

Waking up an hour before the morning gong the following morning, the master of tiger style, couldn't keep herself from smiling as she slid onto her back and was greeted by the still sleeping face of her panda mate. Tenderly rubbing her muzzle over the side of his neck the feline warrior nuzzled him out of his slumber, a few moments later. Slipping her arms around the Dragon Warriors neck as he pressed his lips against hers in a sweet loving good morning kiss, five minutes later, Tigress kissed him right back because even though there where times that he annoyed her behind believe, especially when he didn't pay attention during training, but truthfully for quite sometime now she couldn't see spending the rest of her days with any other.

"Dumpling, just out of curiosity what is the secret ingredient the makes your dad's Secret ingredient soup so wonderful tasting?" Tigress asked in a seductively wispy voice as the couple broke apart for air, a few minutes later, "Now that I'm apart of the family, surely you can tell little old me, what makes it so special."

"I can't argue with you there, kitten," Po commented agreeing with his striped feline companion whilst getting lost in the depths of her sparkling eyes as she laid back down upon their bed, "The secret to my dad's secret ingredient soup, is that there is no secret ingredient its just regular noodle soup that's all, there is nothing remotely special about it all."

"Really, that's sort of shocking, I through for sure that he used some kind of rare spice or unique vegetable to flavor the broth," the feline warrior said trying to figure out why Mr. Ping would deceive his customers like that, by calling something special when it was just plain ordinary noodle soup, "Even if that's the case I still think that there is a secret ingredient, that he puts inside of it, one which you have showed me one can't life a full live without, love. You've said yourself that he just loves to cook, it doesn't matter whom it's for even if it's for complete strangers, he pours all of his heart and soul into making the best meal he can for them. I should know because I can taste the love that you put into the food that you make for us and have been able to since you have taken over the barracks kitchen and its your love that makes everything those skilled paws of yours touch, so special and wonderfully delicious. Even something as simply as a mere bean bun, tastes like a meal fit for an emperor by the time that you're finished making it, darling."

"Why thank you, kitten, coming from you that really is quite the compliment," the Dragon Warrior said now gently sweeping the fingertips of his left paw in slithering patterns over the plush white fur that the front covered her naked torso, making the female tiger purr and briefly close her eyes at his touch, "I willing to bet you are an amazing cook, in your own right?"

"Not really, I'm quite terrible when it comes to cooking, to be honest," Tigress cooed feeling her skin erupt in goose bumps underneath her pelt where ever the fingertips of her black and white panda lover touched her lean and toned body, "The last time I tried to cook a meal for everyone, I nearly burned down the barracks."

"Is that so, my love," Po said slowly sliding his left paw over her stomach and beginning to stroking it over her right flank tenderly, making her purr even louder, "Than how about this, since I doubt that we are ever going to spend a night without the warmth of the other in arms length, why don't the two us just prepare meals together from now on, ok?"

"That's a wonderful idea, dumpling, as a matter of fact I was just about to suggest that we do just that," the feline warrior stated truthfully, reaching up with her right hand paw and lovingly cupping his left cheek with it, "Ever since the very first night that I slept at your side without your knowledge, I have grown to realize that by your side is where I belong and now that we are mates I am never going to leave it ever again regardless of what my baba has to say about it or however he may punish us once he finds out just how intimate both of us have really been over these past three years. As a warrior my word is my bond, and this I promise to you, my love."

"Even if said punishment, is banishing me from the Valley of Peace forever forbidden from ever returning, kitten," Po inquired curious to see just how far her devotion to him was.

"If my baba ever did something like that towards you, than I would personally bet him to within an inch of death for being so curl and heartless," Tigress answered honestly staring deep into the jade irises of the warrior she loved with all of her heart, "After which I would turn around and walk way form the only home that I have ever known with just the cloths upon my back to built a brighter future with you, dumpling, because my world would cease to exist without you in it, my love."

"And there isn't any other place in this world, that I'd rather be than at your side, Tigress," the giant panda truthfully stated right back while getting himself further lost in the depths of the female tigers amber irises, "Listen to us, we sound like an old married couple reaffirming our love for one another after having already lived a full long life together."

"After the events of Gongmen City, everything that happened before between us seems to have happened a lifetime ago, so I'm not the least bit surprised that were are already beginning to sound and act like a married couple," Tigress said sliding her hand paw form her where it sat upon his cheek to the nape of her lovers neck while pulling him toward her simultaneously, "Personally I wouldn't want it any other way, darling, and there are only a pawfull of things in this world that would make little old me happier than officially being your wife but lets not rush this, I mean after all we only just started dating so lets just take things nice and slow for now."

Tenderly rubbing her nose over his as their lips met in a sweet kiss, mere seconds later, the warrior couple tilted both of their heads in either direction slightly as they reaffirmed the love that they held for one another in the very depths of their souls. Lovingly nuzzling her muzzle around that of her panda companion and lightly licking her tongue over the front of his neck, as they broke apart for air five minutes later, the feline showed her affection for him like only a member of her species could. Braking there lover's embrace, a few moments later, the panda and tiger sat on either side of the bed, facing away from the other and began to get dressed. Watching the Dragon Warrior out of the corner of her left eye as he pulled his tattered patchwork shorts over his silk boxers, Tigress decided right then and there, that after they were finished talking with her adoptive father than she was taking him shopping for some new clothes because even though there duties as the Valley protectors came before most everything else it didn't mean that they had to live a life without substance and besides that the feline thought that it was about time that his clothes reflected the status of his title. Smoothing out the wrinkles from the front of her silk vest with both of her hand paws, a few moments later, purring as its material gently embraced the curves of her naked torso underneath, the master of tiger style felt comfortable with her sexuality and consigned herself to the idea of never wearing bindings ever again not even when it came to the rather intense training that they were not doubt, about to undertake when training resumed following this short break.

Taking hold of Po's outstretched right hand paw as he stood at her side fully dressed, a couple of minutes later, the female tiger slipped her left paw into the palm of his and allowed him to pull her up. Snuggling against his right side as they pushed open the doors of their bedroom and walked down the hallway, a few moments later, a constant low purr rumbled from her throat while the end of her tail flicked happily. After thoroughly checking the barracks pantry to see what they had before deciding what to make for breakfast that morning, making a list of the items that they were low on and would need to be restocked, the panda and tiger gathered the ingredients that they needed to make a pot of noodle soup before entering the kitchen located in the mess hall. Since he had no idea at what extent her current cooking skills were, Po instructed Tigress to thinly slice the vegetables while he got the fire started so that they could begin cooking. Straightening up less than a minute later, having successfully ignited the coals of the oven, the giant panda watched in horror as his feline companion was about to bring the razor sharp knife held in her right paw down upon the daikon on the cutting board directly in front of her, dangerously close to the fingertips of her other paw. Quickly dashing over before she could possibly hurt herself, Po caught the wrist of her left paw with the palm of his right one before slipping directly behind her and gently sliding both of his paw over the backs of hers, formed the fingers of her right into a fist before lowering her other paw which held the knife toward the vegetable that needed to be cut and slicing an eight of an inch thick round from its pointed end. Continuing to work through the rest of the dense white fleshed vegetable in this manner, while the oven and stove heated up, the panda taught the feline how to not only properly hold a knife but slice vegetables evenly as well.

Copying the movements as her monochrome lover doodad over her appalling knife skills, the master of tiger style felt confident that her cooking skills would defiantly improve with him as her teacher. Showing tigress how to move the thin slices of daikon from the cutting board to the nearby plate with the flat of the knife blade, a few minutes later, Po told the feline to prepare to rest of the vegetables in the same manner, before picking up a medium sized stock pot form the shelf it sat upon and walking over toward the sink filled it half way up with water from the tap. Without her panda companion to guide her movements, the first couple of vegetables that she attempted to thinly slice all on her own, where far from a even thickness but at least she still had all of her fingers by the time she was finished. Watching the female tiger out of the corner of his eyes as he patiently waited for the pot of water, which now sat atop the stove, to come to a light boil, the Dragon Warrior could not believe that such a skilled warrior with a blade as she was, appeared to lack even the most basic of cooking skills such as proper knife handling. Adding in the thinly sliced vegetables, spices and herbs into the pot as the water inside of it began to gently boil, five minutes later, Po gave them a quick stir with a wooden spoon before resting it down on the plate that had the vegetables on it and cleaning up the kitchen countertop a little bit so that he could make the dough needed for the hand-pulled noodles which would later be cooked in the broth that was simmering away.

Rolling the raw noodle dough out of its wooden bowl onto a very lightly flour dusted counter top, ten minutes later, the Dragon Warrior kneaded it briefly before forming the dough into a short two foot long cylinder shape which he then divided evenly in two and pushed one half on to the sparsely floured countertop directly in front of Tigress. Lightly sprinkling both of his paws with some flour so that the noodle dough would not stick to them as he pulled and twisted the dough, Po lifted his half off the counter and showed the female tiger how to turn and twist the rather stretchy dough so that it would transform form one massive hunk into thousands of thin individual noodle-like strands. Feeling confident that she got the technique down after being shown how do to it just once, the feline lightly sprinkled each of her hand paws with a pinch of flour just like her mate had and picking up the dough snake that lay on the countertop before her, began to pull and twist it just as Po had showed her. For as simple as it sounded and Po made it look, hand-pulling the dough so that it formed hundreds of thin even noodle-like strands was much more harder than anything that the master of tiger style had even attempted to do in her entire life and required patience the likes of which she he not found herself comforted with since Shifu had first taught her how to control her immense strength by stacking dominos. Gently laying her pulled noodles upon the countertop so that Po could cut them into more manageable lengths with a knife, a short time later, it was easy to tell whom had had pulled each set; his had a smooth texture and more even appearance to them compared to her some what tough looking and unevenly pulled ones.

Deeply sighing over her pitiful first attempt at hand pulling noodles, Tigress lowered her ears sadly as it became woefully clear that she had quite a ways to go until she would be as good a cook as her panda companion currently was. Taking notice of the felines saddened appearance, he placed the knife that he held in his right hand paw down on the countertop before embracing Tigress around the waist with his left arm while he lovingly ruffled the crown of her head with the fingertips of the other saying that it was better than the first time that his father had taught him how to make hand-pulled noodles and that he was sure her future attempts would turn out much better. Feeling her spirits begin to rise over his encouraging remakes, the feline turned her head to the side to look the man she loved squarely in the face and briefly flashed him a warm cheerful smile before lightly kissing him upon the lips. Returning to portioning the two sets of noodles after they broke apart, a few seconds later, Po placed the long strands of freshly made paste on a rack to air dry for a few minutes before gently placing them into the pot of finished broth one pawful at a time. While her monochrome mate was busy putting the finishing touches on breakfast and ladling hearty portions of the finished secret ingredient soup into seven serving bowls, Tigress poured everyone a cup of tea and set up the mess hall table just as the morning gong sounded.

"Man, it sure smells really good in here this morning," the panda and tiger heard a voice say as they already sat in there usual seats at the mess hall table as Monkey, Mantis, Crane, Viper and Master Shifu entered the room, a couple of minutes later.

"So Po what did you make for us to eat this morning, huh?" Mantis asked as he hopped down from his perch atop Monkey's shoulder as the simian took his usual sat at the table.

"The pickings in the pantry were on the slim side, so we decided to make secret ingredient soup," Po said flashing a sideways smile toward Tigress while he spoke, "So eat up while it's still hot, ok."

"Po this tastes amazing, I especially like that you added little cubes of diced tofu in it this time," Viper commented after downing a few spoonfuls of the noodle soup from the bowl on the table in front of her, "Your father taught you very well, Tigress really got the whole package with you."

"I'm glad that all of you are enjoying it so much but I am afraid that I can't take all of the credit for the meal were eating because I did have a little help preparing it this morning, isn't that right, kitten," the Dragon Warrior stated reaching out his left paw and loving placing it atop the right paw of the feline that sat to his left.

"You most certainly did, dumpling, and I eagerly look forward to helping you prepare our meals for now on, while learning everything that I can along the way," Tigress cooed placing down the flat bottomed spoon held in the fingers of her left paw back inside of her bowl of noodle soup, "I want to learn as much as I can about cooking from you, so that I'm fully prepared for the day that we eventually become husband and wife. So what are everyone's plans for today since we have it off?"

"We haven't really decided what were are going to do today but just out of curiosity what did you and Po have planned for today," Viper inquired in between spoonfuls of noodle soup, "Please tell me that you don't plan on spending all this time off training, like you usually do cause that wouldn't be fair to your beau."

"Well first we have that meeting with Shifu to get through but after that I thought that it would be nice to head down into the Valley and maybe do a little shopping," the feline warrior answered honestly, smiling a big toothy grin over everyone seated at the mess hall table, "It's been ages since I last walked through the village, just for the mere fun of it."

"That sound's like a wonderful idea, Tigress, would you mind it if Crane and I joined you?" Viper asked not wanting to impose upon the warrior couples plans especially if the feline intended it to be the beginnings of their first real date, since as far as any of them knew had yet to take place.

"It really doesn't matter all that much to me, if you two want to tag along," Tigress said turning her head to face her panda companion whom sat to her right, "That is if you don't mind, my sweet bean bun."

"Sure why not, the more the merrier that's what I always say," Po said softly smiling at his feline lover whilst giving her covered paw a gentle loving squeeze, "We will met up with you two, at the base of the stairs once we're finished with Master Shifu, how dose that sound to you guys?"

"That sounds like a plan to me. After were finished eating, Viper and I will go on ahead and wait for you two to conclude your business," Crane said whilst scooping the last bit of noodle soup broth into his spoon before picking up the empty bowl with both of his wings and asking, "Would it be to greedy of me, to ask for another bowlful of the wonderful secret ingredient soup that both of you prepared of us this morning?"

"Not at all, Crane, feel free to eat as much as you'd like," Tigress said flashing a warm beaming smile in the avian's direction, taking hold of the bowl clutched in the birds out stretched pinfeathers with her free left paw, "Here allow me to get you a refill."

Slipping her other paw out from underneath that of her mate as she stood, a few seconds later, a shocked expression came over the faces of most everyone else seated at the table, expect for Shifu, as they watched the female tiger lightly kiss Po upon the top of his head before walking toward the kitchen to ladle more noodle soup into Crane's empty bowl. Returning to her seat, less than a minute later, after delivering Crane his second bowl without even spilling a single drop of broth, Tigress once again shocked everyone seated by feeding Po a spoonful of noodle soup form her own bowl, an action which he mirrored right back after swallowing the spoonful that she had feed him. Telling the warrior couple to come to his room after cleaning up as the resident kung fu masters of the Jade Palace all stood up and went there separate ways, a short time later, the panda and tiger gathered up the dirty dishes and walking over toward the kitchen sink began to wash and rise them clean. With the two of them working together, it wasn't longer before all the dishes and utensils' where once again clean and ready to be used later on that day and after drying off their damp paws on a kitchen towel, Po took gently hold of Tigress' right paw with his left and the two of them headed for there Masters living quarters just as he had instructed them to do when they had finished. Politely knocking on frame of the large round entrance of there Masters room, five minutes later, just in case the red panda was mediating or something, not wanting to intrude without announcing there presence first.

Feeling increasingly nervous the longer Shifu made the two of them wait standing outside of his quarters, the warrior couple sensed the others unease and reassuringly gentle squeezed their held paws. Showing Po and Tigress into his room, after making them wait for a full five minutes, the Grand Master led the panda and tiger over to the seating area and asked them to take a seat before sitting down himself.

"Dragon Warrior, Tigress, I take it from your reaction, that both of you have already seen the scroll that lays upon the floor next to me once before," the red panda said noticing that both of their gazes were drawn toward it from the very first moment, that they sat down, "I shall get to its contents in a few minutes but first, we have to have a very serious talk about your relationship a little bit. So I'll get straight to the point, Po, what are the true depths of your intentions toward my one and only daughter?"

"Baba, I thought we already settled this, very publicly I should mention, back in Gongmen City," the feline warrior interrupted, annoyed that her own adoptive father wanted to continue that conversation, especially when in her mind practically everything had already been said about the true strength of their relationship that could have been, "I have of my own free will, willingly chosen to devote the rest of my life being Po's mate in addition to those I already have as one of the Valley's protectors, and if you just can't accept that, than maybe the two of us should just leave and make a new life for ourselves somewhere else in the Valley, maybe even beyond its boundaries."

"Tigress, it's okay, I've got this so please calm down," Po said in a soothing tone to keep his tiger companions annoyed mood from starting a very physical confrontation between adopted child and parent, "Master, as one of your students I must respect you but man to man, I must tell you that I think forcing the two of us to continually prove the strength of our love will only result in driving us to leave the Jade Palace possibly even the Valley for good, so I kindly ask that you stop before it must come to that."

"That was just the sort of answer, that I was hoping to hear from you Po or should I say Son-in-law," Shifu said smiling widely at the inter-species' couple that sat before him still holding paws, "Gentle yet firm, exactly the type of answer that a father would want to her from a strong and dependable husband for his daughter, both of you have my promise that this is the last time that I shall every test your bound. Now as for the two of you rooming together, that's another story, not to mention a clear violation of Palace rules."

"You know what they say, baba, rules are meant to be broken," the master of tiger style countered without even a seconds hesitation, "Besides it's not as if we have really done anything within the Palace yet and there is no way that I am going back to sleeping in my own room all by my lonesome, for I learned all to long ago that wasn't where I felt the safest and most at ease."

"And just what's that suppose to mean exactly, Tigress?" the Grand Master asked taken back that the scene he say the previous night, had not been the first time that the two of them had shared the same bed under the roof the Jade Palace.

"Baba, it means that long before the recent events of Gongmen City, I've been secretly sharing the bed of the Dragon Warrior, not that he knew it until I told him just yesterday," Tigress bluntly stated without even an once of fear in her voice over how her adoptive father figure might react to learning this, "And you know what, I absolutely loved every moment of it. There nestled against Po's chest being tenderly embraced in his arms while my fur rubbed and intertwined with his, I felt so warm and loved that it pained me to leave his side every morning and now that were finally together, I'm not going to allow you to drive a wedge between us. I am his mate after all and at his side is where I belong and just how did you know that we are continuing to sleep together, for that matter?"

"You mean apart from the fact that the others and myself saw, very little of you two outside of meal times aboard the Jade Dragon," Shifu commented attempting to sound casual about the whole thing but failing miserable, "I figured that you two might be tempted to have a little fun while, the others and myself where away from the Palace last night so after everyone had gone to bed and fallen into a sound sleep, I thought that I would check in on you and where did I find you, my daughter. Why I found you in the Dragon Warriors room with both of your beds securely lashed together and judging be the way those two blankets where clinging to your bodies, both of you were unclothed at the time."

"So what if we were, as mates we can sleep however we like, clothed or naked as far as I'm concerned that's none of your business." the feline warrior hissed, intensely staring down the red panda that had taken her in and had given her the bright future that had guided her onto the new path that lay before her, "Po and I shall continue to sleep together and that's final."

"Now that brings me to the contents of the scroll Zang delivered to me shortly after we got back home yesterday," the red panda said lightly running the fingers of his right paw over it, "It's from the matron sheep of Bau Gu Orphanage, apparently when you where first dropped off outside of their gates your mother had tucked a memento inside the folds of your bundle and during the process of changing you into a set of clothes the very same morning which you were admitted, it got miss placed. That was until just a few days ago when the matron came across it again and has since kept it in a safe location, until you go collect it. I have already taken the liberty to send her word, that both of you would stop by to pick it up two days from now. That's all both of you are now free to go and do your shopping."

"Wait a minute, baba, since you're not fighting with us over so blatantly breaking Palace rules when it comes to rooming together, dose that mean that you are comfortable with the idea," the master of tiger style meant to ask but it ended up coming out more like a statement than an actual question.

"Truthfully, Tigress, the idea of you two sharing a room let alone the same bed doesn't sit well with me as your father or Master, but I also know just by the conviction in your voice that nothing I can possible tell you otherwise will make you change your mind either, so why fight a battle that I know going in I shall lose," Shifu said watching his adoptive daughters face light up with happiness just as it had when he had given the couple his approval to date before they left Gongmen City, "Besides your old room wouldn't be empty for very long, I can assure both of you of that. Feel free to access the Palace coiffures for your shopping today, when you return I expect our Dragon Warrior to be looking his best after all its been three years since he joined us and I feel the time is right that he has a proper wardrobe more befitting of his title, wouldn't you agree."

Nodding her head in agreement with her adoptive father, the female tiger thanked him for granting the use of Palace funds for there shopping trip and before her mate could even begin to complain, the feline was already pulling the giant panda toward the door and out of his quarters. Meeting up with Viper and Crane at the base of the Jade Palaces mountain of stairs, a short time later, Tigress snuggled against Po's right side and the two couples openly walked the village streets. Occasionally stopping by the odd shop here and there as the group walked each of the villages streets, making purchases' along the way and by the time they were climbing back up the huge staircase toward there home later on the afternoon, the master of tiger style made certain that the Dragon Warrior had more appropriate wardrobe to match his title. For dinner that night Po and Tigress made marinated Tofu stir-fry severed over a bed of garlic Lo-Mien noodles, which everyone natural asked for seconds helping of and in Po's case thirds and fourths.

*** 2 days later***

It was a beautiful clear mid-summer day and after finishing their new duty of preparing breakfast earlier that morning, Po and Tigress where walking through the rolling fields of the Valley in the direction of the orphanage were the feline had spend the first five years of her life. For the master of tiger style this would be her first visit to the large round building since Shifu had adopted her, so natural she was feeling a little nervous about returning since the place held nothing but deep emotionally scaring memories for her yet was excited to discover just what her birth mother had left behind at the same time. Swallowing hard as the warrior couple stood outside of the vine covered round walls of Bau Gu, a short time later, Tigress raised her free left paw and knocked upon the heavily aged red painted wood double doors of the orphanage.

"I'll be there in a minute," the panda and tiger heard a voice answer back from behind the closed doors, a few moments later before it was followed by the same voice saying in a soft loving tone, "Come now, my little dears behave yourselves, soon mommy's and daddy's from all over the Valley well be arriving and taking you to your new homes, not that I don't love having all of you here."

"Dumpling, I get the feeling that my baba didn't just randomly chose this date, for the two us to stop by here and pick up the memento that my birth mother left upon my infant body," the feline commented lowering her raised paw back to her side, "There has to be something or more likely someone here, that needs our help in addition to my memento, why else would he have told the matron that we would be here on the day most of the children are usually adopted."

"Maybe it just a coincidence, that he chose today's date," Po said the disbelieve in his own words clearly evident in the tone of voice that he had just used, "It's not that I don't like children, I love them but I just don't think either of us are ready for such a huge responsibility as taking care of a child on top of our duty as protectors of the Valley just yet."

"Yeah, maybe your right, dumpling, but I still can't quite shake the feeling in the pit of my stomach that we are here for more than just my memento," Tigress said anxiously as one of the two double doors where being pulled open from the inside of the large central courtyard of the round building and the kind face of the matron sheep greeted them with a soft smile.

"Ah, it's you two, Master Shifu's note said that you'd be stopping by today," the matron sheep commented pulling the door wide open, so that the two warriors could enter the building, "It's good to see you again, my dear, you wouldn't believe what an inspiration you have been to the children that have passed through here since you become a living kung-fu legend. If you'd just follow me, I shall take you to my office, where I'm keeping the item your here to collect."

"Being here certainly brings back plenty of memories, very few of which are happy ones," the master of tiger style commented as the kindly faced matron, led the two of them through one of the door ways off the central courtyard and up a number of flights of stairs toward the top floor of the round building, a short time later.

For the feline warrior every step that she took forward it felt as if she was going back in time, to the days of her own childhood when she had called its rounded walls home. This feeling was only further enforced when the matron led them right past the room that she used to stay in and noticing that the door was craked partially open decided to take a peek inside since she didn't see the harm in taking a quick look and all of the children where down in the cortyard. It wasn't until she pushed the door open a bit wider to look inside of her former bedroom, that the sound of low crying met her ears and looking in the direction of the far right corner of the room saw a little girl wearing black slacks, thin soled sandals and a plain white silk vest, huddled there with her face pressed against her raised knees. Carefully approaching the crying little girl as not to startle the young child, the female tiger began to wonder how come she wasn't downstairs with the rest of the children. After only taking a couple of steps toward the child, the mature felines question was answered by the body of the little girl herself; unlike the rest of the children down in the courtyard that she and Po had walked past whom were mostly pigs, ducks or rabbits, this little girl was a leopard. Understanding just how had it was to be a feline growing up in the orphanage, having experienced it herself, Tigress sat down next to the crying little girl upon the floor before wrapping both of her arms around the child's waist and gently pulling the sobbing leopard atop her lap, loving embracing the child against her chest in a warm motherly hug. Feeling a pair of warm arms lovingly embracing her quivering body suddenly, the little girl lifted her head up and her slightly puffy bright green eyes where met by a pair of warm love filled amber irises.

"Why, hello there little one, you have beautiful eyes far too beautiful to be shedding so many tears," Tigress cooed, lightly petting the little girl in-between her ears comfortingly with her right hand paw as if it was second nature for her, "My name is Tigress, what's yours?"

"My, my, name is Sakura," the little female leopard stammered caught off guard by the older female tiger's motherly actions.

"Sakura, a very pretty name for such an adorable little girl," the master of tiger style commented now motherly stroking her right hand paw over the little girls back without even realizing it, "I don't know if you knew this but I used to live here too as a matter of fact this used to be my bedroom as well. So tell me, Sakura, how come you're still up here while all the rest of the children are downstairs in the courtyard waiting for there new mommies and daddies, to take them away from this place."

"Yeah right, like anyone from around here would want me," the little girl huffed, averting her gaze away from the mature feline whom was comforting her, "On top of that today's my second birthday and no one has even wished me a happy birthday, some birthday this turned out to be."

"Well then, let me be the first to wish you a happy birthday, Sakura," Tigress said briefly embracing the little leopard in a tight hug, making the child giggle, before releasing it, "And tell me, if you could have anything in the world for your birthday gift this year, what would that be, my little angel."

"Anything in the world, huh," Sakura repeated furrowing her forehead deep in thought for a whole minute before finally looking the female tiger, whom held her so tenderly, squarely in the face and saying, "To be a part of a family and have a mommy just like you, Tigress."

"Well then little one, today's your lucky day because I'm going to adopt you, I know from growing up her myself just how hard it is for a feline around here," the feline warrior commented, gently repositioning the toddler into a better seated position upon her lap and beginning to soothingly rocking her, "I knew that there was another reason, my baba chose today for us to come here. This is no place for any child to grow up, let alone a feline child. Just as he gave me a home, I shall now give you the very same one. Now if you're feeling better, Sakura, how would you like to help me look for my boyfriend, so that I can tell him that you're coming back home with us as well?"

"I feel a lot happier now, knowing that I have some place to call home and have such a kind and loving mother as you, Tigress," Sakura cheered cuddling against her adoptive mother's chest "Your fur's so soft and warm, its like your entire body is one big comfy blanket. Mommy, if you don't' mind me asking just what is your boyfriend like, is he all kind and loving just like you are or is his a big meanie."

"Sakura, I know that you probably wouldn't believe this but your mama used to be a huge meanie, probably the biggest meanie in all of China but then she met this great lovable guy, whom overtime taught her that emotions both good and bad are a part of everyday life and should be experienced" Tigress stated solemnly thinking back about just how much she had learned for Po without even meaning to as there friendship had grown over the past three years, "And look there he is now."

"Tigress, I have the memento that your mother left with you," the Dragon Warrior said walking into the room, seeing his feline companion sitting down motherly rocking the little female leopard that sat upon her lap, "She wanted to let you know, that her mother was sorry for misplacing it all those years ago."

"Thanks for doing that, dumpling," the female tiger said softly smiling up into the face of her mate as he looked down at her rocking Sakura in her arms, "Could you be a dear and hold onto it for now, as you can see my arms are pretty full at the moment with our adoptive daughter. Sakura, this lovable mountain of plush fur looming over us is my boyfriend but you may know him as Dragon Warrior Po, and the adorable angel that I'm rocking in my arms is, Sakura, our adoptive daughter."

"Yuppie this years birthday just keeps on getting better and better, mommy Tigress," Sakura shouted happily, squirming slightly as she stared up at the Dragon Warrior with her big bright green eyes, "First my greatest birthday wish come true and now not only have I got a kind and loving mama but I also have the powerful Dragon Warrior for a baba, there is no possible way this day could get any better."

"Sakura, could you go and wait out in the hallway while your mama and baba have a little chat," Po kindly asked couching down on one knee so that he and the child would be on the same eye level.

"Oh, I see how it is, you didn't come here today to adopt a child, just to pick up some old meaningless trinket," Sakura pouted, all of her happiness draining out of her previously joyful voice while her big bright eyes begin to quickly fill with tears once more "Mama was wrong about you, you big meanie."

"Po, what did you go and have to say something like that for," Tigress hissed at the panda that knelt before her while Sakura, now balling her eyes out had buried her face into the front of her left shoulder, "I had just gotten her to calm down to, you buffoon. Growing up in this place is hard enough for a child like her to accept as it is, you didn't have to go and crush her dreams of every finding parent's whom were willing to take in her as one of there own as well. I was fortunate that Shifu saved me from here at such an early age because who knows what I would have turned into, had I spend my entire live growing up here, surrounded by people who feared me."

"How was I suppose to know that she was going to react like that, I just wanted a moment or two, to seriously talk about adopting her with you," Po softly shouted back, hoping that it would show the good intentions behind his stupid actions, "I really screwed up this big time, didn't I kitten."

"Don't you dare, kitten, me right now, Dragon Warrior," the female tiger spate right back not feeling the least bit of joy over her mate using the affectionate pet name that he had just for her, "But to it bluntly, yeah you really fucked up what should have been Sakura's first real family moment with us and since you ruined it, you have to fix it."

"Sakura, please I'm begging you to stop crying like that in to mama's shoulder," Po pleaded with the sobbing little girl that quivered against his tiger companions chest, reaching out with his left paw and lightly ruffling the crown of the child's head, "Your baba, didn't mean anything bad by it, you see he just wanted to talk about the idea of adopting you over with your mama, my angelic little one."

"Really, do you really mean that, baba," Sakura's muffled voice asked as she turned her head to the side, so that her tear filled bright green eyes could look directly into the bright jade green eyes of the supposedly lovable panda, "You aren't just saying that so that I'll stop crying, you would really want to have someone like me in your family with mama?"

"A beautiful little girl like you would make a welcome addition to our family, Sakura. So what do you say, would you like to come back to the Jade Palace and live there with us," the Dragon Warrior inquired, the tear filled eyes of the youngster were like countless white-hot knives piercing his heart, "Your mama and I could even teach you kung-fu, if you'd like to give it a try."

"Okay, baba, apology accepted," Sakura said raising her left hand paw and wiping the tears form her big bright eyes with the side of it continuing to talk while she did, "I'm sorry about what I said to, mama was right you really are a big lovable panda, baba."

"All is forgiven, little one, besides it wouldn't be the first time that I have said or done something stupid without meaning to, your mama can attest to that, Sakura," Po said smiling warmly at the young female leopard before leaning forward and planting a gentle kiss upon the child's forehead, making the young female leopard giggle before pulling back slightly and softly kissing his beloved tigers forehead as well, "Now about we get going, it's a long walk to get back home from here," he added after pulling away, a few moments later.

"Before we do that, may I see what my mother's memento is, dumpling," Tigress said warmly smiling at her still kneeling mate, "Sakura, would be okay if your baba, held you for a little bit?"

Flashing a bright happy grin at her adoptive mother, Sakura sprang to her foot paws while her mate handed the item that was clutched in his right paw to Tigress as their adoptive daughter sat down atop his bend knee, Po then placed the now empty paw upon the leopards back to keep her from toppling backwards and felt a soft smile spread across his face as he watched her lean into the crock of his arm purring. Smiling at the cute sight of adoptive father and daughter getting acquainted with one another, the master of tiger style looked down at the necklace that lay atop the palm of her left paw, it was a yin yang pendant hanging from a golden chain that resembled the scale covered body of a serpentine dragon, similar to those that decorated much of the Jade Palace. Noticing very tiny pinhole sized indents placed diagonally across form one another on the pendants sides as the female tiger carefully examined the pendant more closely, a few moments later, she extended the claws on her right thumb and forefinger before then pressing them inside the pinhole indents on either side of the yin yang pendant. To not only Tigress' surprise but Po and Sakura's as well, a soft click was heard and the face of the pendant opened slightly where the light and dark halves of the symbol met in the middle.

Withdrawing her claws back into the fingers of her right paw, the master of tiger style carefully flipped back each half of the pendants face to reveal a picture hidden inside of it which depicted a pair of very regal looking tigers; the male looked very stern yet had a gentle characteristic feel about him while his female counterpart looked to be a very kind and loving, good natured feline with a little bit of a fire in her eyes. Quickly glancing form the two tigers in the picture to the feline leaning against the wall before him, it was clear just whom theses two individuals were, they were Tigress parent's; the family resemblance was unbelievable and she was the spitting image of her birth mother. Feeling happy tears beginning to pool in the corners of her eyes, the master of tiger style hurriedly yet carefully flipped the two halves back over the picture that the pendant secretly held and snapped them tightly closed just as the first tears began to fall from her eyes. Carefully closing her left paw around the trinket, to prevent anymore tears for falling upon it, while she rubbed the side of her other over her eyes, wiping away her tears as best as she could, Tigress was far to young at the time, when her mother had left her bundle of blankets outside of the orphanages double doors, to even remember what her parents names were but at least now she had a picture so that she could never forget what they looked like.

"Kitten, if you'd like we could ask Master Shifu to extend our time off, so that we can try to track them down," Po commented reaching out with his free left paw and gently stroking its fingers over the crown of the female tigers head, "I'm sure with the both of us looking, we'd be able to find out where they are in no time."

"That's ok, dumpling, I'll be just fine," Tigress answered lowering her right paw from her eyes, "But the thought of us going to search for them was really quite touching, though completely unnecessary. Come on lets go home, along the way we'll stop by your fathers place and introduce, Sakura, to him before he hears about his new grand-daughter form anyone else."

"Ok, Tigress, but if you ever decide to change your mind about searching for your birth parents, I'll be more than happy to help in any way that I can," Po said lifting his right paw from where it now atop her shoulder and tucking it under her chin added, "I know that you are usually not one to wear jewelry but I think that you should wear that locket clutched in your other paw, unless I'm mistaken your mother was wearing it in the photo and it looked very beautiful on her, so I have no doubt that it will be just as prefect around your neck as it did hers."

"I do bare a striking resemblance to my mother don't I, dumpling," the feline warrior commented slowly opening her left paw and staring at the necklace upon its palm, "What do think, little one, should mama wear her mama's locket?"

"I think that you should, mama," Sakura said smiling brightly at her adoptive mother, "Mama's, mama must have loved her, a lot the leave something so precious with her."

"My little angel, I'm sure that both of your parents loved you very much also just because they left you here it doesn't mean that they didn't love you, I sure they must have had a reason too and don't ever forget that," the master of tiger style said while motherly tickling the young female leopard under her chin with her right paw, making the child giggle, "If you ever want to go and search for them one day, when you're older, we shall help you in any way that we can now why don't you and I pack up your things, while your baba goes and tells the matron that we are going to adopt you, dose that sound okay with you, Sakura?"

"Ok, mama," Sakura said cheerfully while hoping down from were she had been sitting atop her adoptive fathers bend knee.

Then Tigress watched as the little female leopard stood of the tips of her toes and lightly kissed Po upon the cheek and nuzzled the side of his neck cutely before finally allowing him to leave the room. Undoing the clasp of the golden chain of her mothers necklace as her monochrome companion walked out of Sakura's bedroom, the master of tiger style reached both of her hand paws behind the nape of her neck and secured it around her neck before standing on her thin sandaled foot paws and taking their adoptive daughter by her right paw walked over toward the chest in the corner to begin packing the little girls things. After returning to the internal courtyard, figuring it was where he would likely find the Matron and sure enough he was right, the mature sheep was watching over the other children whom lived at the orphanage. Waking over to where the matron stood, the giant panda lightly tapped the sheep upon the shoulder to get her attention and once he had it, a few moments later, asked if he could have a little bit of a chat to talk about the possible adoption of one of the children. Knowing the exact child in question without even asking the warrior because she had previously mentioned said child in the same scroll as Tigress' birth mothers memento which she had sent in Master Shifu's direction with the hopes that he would take the misunderstood youngling in and raise her, just as he had with Tigress before.

Softly smiling at the Dragon Warrior, a few moments later, the matron sheep looked across the courtyard at one of her assistance whom was sweeping the covered walkway of the ground level and asked the female rabbit if she could take over watching the children for a little bit. Acknowledging her boss' request with a quick courteous nod of her head, the matron led Po back toward her office, where he filled out all the necessary paperwork so that he and Tigress could leave with Sakura that same day. Rolling up the completed adoption scroll, ten minutes later after giving the wet ink time to dry, the matron sheep told the Dragon Warrior that despite the inspiration that Tigress was for many of the residence of the Valley, most of them were unwilling to adopt the feline and for the longest time she feared that Sakura would spent the majority of her life within the orphanages walls, that was how come she had originally contacted Master Shifu. Inwardly sighing because Tigress' suspicions about the timing of there visit to her first child home had been correct all along, Po couldn't keep himself from smiling over how natural his striped feline companion looked motherly caressing Sakura in her arms while the child sat atop her lap or the joy that Sakura's cute little giggles made him feel deep within his heart. Picking up on the Dragon Warriors desire to be with his newly formed family, just as he was about to asked to be excused a few moments later, the sheep excused him with the way of her right hoof.

"Now its official, kitten, Sakura is all ours," Po said as he returned to their adoptive daughters former bedroom and walked over toward the two of them, "You where right by the way, your mothers memento wasn't the only thing that was written on that scroll he received from the matron. So how is the packing going?"

"We just finished, dumpling," Tigress said as she helped the young female leopard that stood before her knelt form adjusting the straps of her bamboo and canvas backpack, "Doing this takes my back to when Shifu adopted me for his place, there you are honey is that better."

"Yep, mama, it's not so tight anymore and I can move my arms more easily," Sakura cooed joyfully gazing into the amber irises of the female tiger that knelt before her, "Is it time to go home now?"

"Sure is but first we have a couple of stops to make, ok angel," the Dragon Warrior said softly gazing down at the toddler and his kneeling mate, "Now a little birdie told me, that today is also your birthday, so happy birthday. Now what do you want mama and baba to buy you for a present, little one?"

"I've already got the best birthday gift every, baba, I have a kind loving family and nothing money can buy in this world could ever hope to possibly top that," the toddler said smiling brightly up at both her adoptive parents, making the two of them smile in unison over her smart answer, "But there is a gift, that I have wanted for the longest time though, a stuffy."

"Ok, than as soon as we get back to the Village, we'll buy you what ever one that you want," Po said lovingly ruffling the crown of the toddlers head causing the little female leopard to giggle cutely.

Feeling happiness fill her heart upon hearing her little girls cute giggling, the master of tiger style got to her foot paws. Taking hold of Sakura's left paw, a few moments later, while Po took hold of her right happy smiles adorned each of their faces as the little family walked out of the dark shadowy bedroom. Walking with a very noticeable skip in her step as they crossed the round buildings internal courtyard, a couple of minutes later, which was beginning to fill with other couples from the Valley and surrounding area whom were looking to adopt, the proud new parents themselves could feel the eyes of the others staring at them but shrugged it off knowing that they had to hurry back to the Village before word of the Sakura's adoption by the inner-species warrior couple reached it. Briefly taking in the idealistic sight that the Village made from the top of the rolling fields, a short time later, the little family huddled together before continuing on there way. Stopping by the village toy store as Po had promised they would as soon as they returned, the Dragon Warrior waited outside of the store holding Sakura's pack while the two felines purchased the child's birthday present form its vast selection of items.

Seeing a huge grin upon the face of his adoptive daughter as she and Tigress walked out of the store, Sakura's arms wrapped around the body of a black and white tiger stuffed animal Po asked the child if she was happy with her birthday gift to which the young female leopard responded by excitedly nodding her head up and down. Relived that Sakura was pleased with her gift, the Dragon warrior carefully opened the child's partially filled pack and placed the stuffed animal inside of it so that it wouldn't get lost or dirty assuring her that she could play with it to her hearts content after getting settled in her new home. Slightly upset that her baba wouldn't allow her to play with her new toy right away yet happy because she finally had a family of her own, Sakura joyously slipped her right paw into the wide palm of his left, after slipping her pack back on, a few moments later, and the tiny family continued walking toward there next stop. Inquisitively glancing up at both of her adoptive parents as the three of them came to a stop outside the rounded entrance of busy restaurant, a short time later, the little girl pondered why they had chosen to stop.

"Angel, this is were the less serious of your two grandpa's lives and works," Po stated noticing his adoptive daughters curious expression, "He's a little eccentric about noodles but overall is a kind and loving person, if you'd like we can meet him now or we can come back later when it isn't so busy."

"Po, when is your father's restaurant never not busy," Tigress commented rolling her eyes sarcastically while giggling slightly, "He's known throughout the entire Valley, so we might as well just get this over with before he spots us and insist that we come in. Even as full as he is right now, I'm sure that he could make room for his family, after all isn't there always room for one more at Mr. Ping's."

"That's correct, my dear," the three of them heard a voice say, drawing there attention toward the middle of the rounded entrance only to see the noodle loving goose standing there staring up at them with his pin feathers on both of his hips, "It's good to see you again Master Tigress, I trust that my son has been treating you well?"

"Oh, he's been treating me great, Mr. Ping, and I know that we have been through this before but you don't have to use the master when addressing me," the feline warrior said blushing slightly caught off guard by what the goose had just said, "I am totally fine with you just calling me Tigress, we are family after all."

"Tigress, Tigress, Tigress," Mr. Ping repeated over and over attempting to get a feel for just saying the Kung-fu Masters name by itself without the usual title of Master preceding it "Nope it just doesn't sound correct for me to be addressing you by just your name, Master Tigress, family and all. And who just might, the absolutely adorable little girl standing between the two of you be?"

"I'm… I'm Sakura, good sir," Sakura stammered nervously, meeting the eyes of the goose that stood in front of the three of them very briefly before casting her gaze downward, "Mama Tigress and baba Po, adopted me form Bau Gu just this morning."

"A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl," Mr. Ping said feeling happy tears beginning to well up in the corners of his eyes, "If you don't mind me asking, Sakura, how old are you?"

"Since today is my birthday, I'm two years old, Grandpa Ping," Sakura said meeting the eyes of her avian grandparent for a little bit longer this time.

"You speak very well for bring only two years old, little one," Mr. Ping said walking forward and lifting his grand-daughters bowed head with the pin feathers of his left wing gently until his eyes locked with the bright green of the little female leopard, "Growing up in Bau Gu must have been very hard for you, my dear but you can rest easy now because you have a family whom will always be here to look after and love you no matter what. Welcome into the family, Sakura, now promise your Grandpa that you shall never hide those pretty eyes of yours from the world."

"I promise, Grandpa Ping," Sakura said flashing the kind faced goose a huge happy smile before adding cutely, "You give off the same warmth as baba but you're a duck and he is a giant panda, just what sort of family are we."

"A very unique and one-of-a-kind family, angel," Po said softly smiling down at his adoptive daughter, "Just you wait until you met your aunts and uncles of the Furious Five, little one, and then there's your other way to serious grandfather, Shifu. I just hope that he doesn't yell at us for adopting you."

"I seriously doubt my baba will, especially if he knew all about Sakura's situation to begin with," Tigress said contemplating just what her own adoptive father was thinking by negating to tell the two of them about all of the scrolls contents, "I just can't believe that he, of all people, would turn a blind eye to a child in need. A child whom was just like me misunderstood, always stuck in her room most of the time because the rest of the child were to frightened of everything about her even though she was far kinder than her outer appearance conveyed. All I every wanted was to be seen for what I was in the inside not the outside. Now looking back at my distant up bringing even at the orphanage it's no surprise that I willing chose to harden my heart as I grew up and matured, still believing that no one would ever put the effort into learning to love me but then you, Po, came into life and began to slowly chip away at my harden heart and along the way you taught me how to love and be loved until the only emotions that filled my previously hard heart were feelings of deep profound happiness, love and joy of everything you. I love you, from the very depths of my soul and would be both physically and emotionally devastated if I ever lost you."

"I love you too, kitten," Po said in a reassuring tone noticing that tears were pooling in the corners of his feline companions beautiful amber irises and lifting his free left paw while turning so that he faced her, gently wiped them away with his thumb before they could fall, "And my love for you shall never fade even when both of us are in our elder years, the joy and happiness that you bring me will be as strong as it has always been from the first moment that I saw you all those years ago."

"For a pair of mighty warriors, you two sure do have a knack for playing out embarrassing scenes especially outside of my place of business in particular," Mr. Ping said extracting himself from the center of the knot, "Come on inside and have something to eat, it wouldn't do you to show sad eyes to Shifu especially on such as joyous occasion as this."

"Sure thing, Mr. Ping, I guess we could make time for a bowl or two of your infamous secret ingredient soup," Tigress commented a slight tearful tone present in the edge of her voice, "It's not as if we have to hurry, to get back to the Jade Palace. You're in for a real treat today, little one, your grandpa cooks some of the most delicious food in the entire Valley, apart from your baba's that is."

"Really, mama," Sakura squealed excitedly looking up at the face of the mature female tiger.

Acknowledging her child's glee filled expression with a nod of her head, before lightly nuzzling her cheek against the palm of her mate's left paw while emitting a happy purr. Following Mr. Ping through the rounded entrance of his restaurant, a few moments later, led the tiny family to an open table near the large kitchen pass through. Naturally concerned that the sight of the two of them suddenly with a young child of their own, the master of tiger style deeply breathed a sigh a relief because even thought it was clear that Sakura was not directly related to them, the rest of the customers majority of which were families didn't make all that big a fuss about it not like they had when it came to the inner-species' couple coming out about their relationship just a few days earlier. Able to relax completely Tigress casually sat upon her simple bench seat and lifting her left paw playfully ruffled its fingers in-between her adoptive daughter's velvety soft ears, making the child giggle. Watching the two felines interact with one another from his own seat directly across from them, Po couldn't keep for smiling at how much the two already resembled mother and daughter even though they had only known each other for just a few hours.

Thanking Mr. Ping for the wonderful meal, a hour later, the eccentric goose hugged each member of his now extended family goodbye, telling them to feel free to come back anytime they wished before getting back to the rest of his customers. After helping Sakura slid her pack back on, a few moments later, the two warriors each took hold of one of their adopted daughters paws and politely made there way toward the restaurants rounded entrance. Knowing that the mountain of stairs which awaited the family at the end of the street might be too much for their little girl to handle especially after all of the walking that they had already done that day, Tigress exchanged a soft glance with her panda companion and releasing the gentle hold that she had upon the child's right paw allowed Po the lift Sakura off her foot paws and give her a panda-back ride atop his shoulders all the way to the Palace gates at its top. Looping her left arm through the crook of her mates right as they began the climb the mountain of stairs toward the front gates of the Jade Palace, a couple of minutes later, the master of tiger style cuddled against his plush fur getting a real feel for what their life would be like if they had a child or two of their own one day, happily enjoying every second of it.

Carefully setting Sakura back down on her foot paws as they stood outside of the gates of the Training Hall, a short time later, the young female leopard laughed and giggled as she watched her mama stealthily slip her arms around the neck of her baba as he straightened up and planted a tender kiss upon his lips. Sliding both of his paws over the top of his feline mates hips and interlocking their fingers together as they came to rest atop the small of her back, the Dragon Warrior returned her kiss with one of his own and the couple stayed embraced like that until they had to break for air. Taking a few steps in the direction that her adoptive parents stood, Sakura wrapped her tiny arms around the legs of both them as best as she could and purred while hugging them. Feeling a pair of small paws gently embracing the two of them with all of their owners might, Po and Tigress broke their lovers embrace and each placed a paw lovingly upon the child. Breaking apart a few minutes later, the proud new parents took hold of one of their adoptive daughter's paws and pushed open the gates of the Training Hall courtyard.

Not seeing any sign of the other members of the Furious Five around as they stepped inside of the white washed walls of the courtyard, not that the panda and tiger half expected to find them there wasting time off hang around the Palace all day, but it would have been nice if at least one of them volunteered to stay behind and look after the Palace. After all it was not only there home but a vast treasure trove of Kung-fu artifacts both new and ancient, that if they feel into the wrong hands could put the countless citizens of the entire Valley in danger. Making a mental note to bring it up at dinner, that one of the five should always be at the Palace in addition to Shifu just in case a situation that required them came up later on that evening, Tigress pushed it to the back of her mind for the time being so that the new mother could focus on getting their daughter settled in her new home. From the Training Hall the proud new parents carefully climbed the narrow winding staircase toward the barracks with Po leading the way while Tigress motherly watching over Sakura from the rear. Once inside of the barracks, a little while later, the warrior couple took the opportunity to show their daughter around the building, so that she would have a general feel of its layout just in case she had to get out of bed anytime during the night. Concluding the tour of the barracks with her new bedroom, the master of tiger style placed a paw upon one of the two doors and pushed it open expecting to find it empty but instead was greeted by a loud shout of 'Welcome home' and the happy smiling faces of the other four members of the Furious Five, her baba/ Master Shifu and Palace messenger duck Zang.

"So this is where all of you have been hiding," Tigress hissed annoyed at how immature they were acting, especially her adoptive father whom was usually more level headed than the rest. Feeling a slight tugging upon the leg of her black slacks, the female tiger looked down and saw a shaken up Sakura staring up at her with big fright filled eyes, "I see you don't like being surprised suddenly either huh, little one, just like your mama but its ok I'm sure that wasn't there intent, right everyone," the master of tiger style added while she knelt down on one knee so that the two felines would be close to the same eye level before embracing the frightened child in a motherly hug.

"Awe," Viper cooed as the group standing inside of the room watched Tigress now lightly stroking the fingers of her right paw over the nape of the little girl she embraced, "You wouldn't know it to look at her but deep down inside, she really is the mothering type."

"There you are, my little angel, do you feel less frightened now?" the female tiger asked, a smooth comforting tone filling her voice while she continued to embrace her adopted child in her arms, "Your mama and baba will always be here to comfort and support you."

"I'm ok now mama, I was just not expecting such a warm welcome," Sakura said lifting her head from where it rested against the front of the mature female tigers bosom and pulling away slightly took one look at the group of individuals that stood inside of her new bedroom before turning to look at her adoptive mother in the face once more and saying, "Are they the other members of our unique and one-of-a-kind family."

"Yes they are, little one," Po said reaching down and playfully ruffling the crown of his adoptive child's head with the fingers of his left paw, "Lets see from left to right, we have your uncle Crane and next to him is your aunt Viper, next to her are your uncles Monkey and Mantis, the duck on the end in the Palaces Messenger Zang and last but not at all least, standing front and canter of them all is the usually more serious of your two grandpa's, Shifu."

"Come now Po, even you must agree that I am not as stiff as I used to be when you first joined us," Shifu commented humbling toward the warrior couple whom stood in the partially open doorway, "Now that you have returned there is something of vital importance that I must speak to you about Dragon Warrior, alone."

"If you insist but can you make this quick, I'd like to spend as much time with Sakura as possible before we have to get back to training next week," Po complained loudly, lifting his lowered paw back to his side, "Kitten, you don't mind having to watch our little angel for a little while do yeah?"

"Go, darling, we'll be right here until you're finished," the master of tiger style said scooping up their adoptive daughter in her arms while as stood and she distinctly overheard Mantis mutter underneath his breath, "What are we chopped cabbage, its not like Tigress and Sakura will be completely by themselves". Carefully leaning into the plush fur covered belly of her mate, the feline warrior lightly pressed her cheek against his and in a soft whisper just loud enough for only him to hear her, asked him to discretely find out how come Shifu had not told them about Sakura before sending the two of them to collect her mothers memento form the Bau Gu earlier that morning. Tigress lightly pecked Po upon the same cheek before pulling away from him, a few moments later, so he and her baba could be on there way.

Scratching his adoptive daughter over the underside of her chin, making the child giggle, the Dragon Warrior said that he would be thinking of both of them while he was gone before withdrawing his paw and following the smaller red panda that was already walking down the corridor in the opposite direction. Catching up with there Master rather quickly for his body shape, after three or four steps the giant panda wondered just what was so important that it couldn't be said in front of the rest of the five. Following Shifu all the way out of the barracks to the rocky outcrop upon which the Peach tree of Heavenly Wisdom grew, the Dragon Warriors curiosity was growing more with each passing second as he began to ponder what the two of them were doing all the way up there in the first place.

"Po, I bet you're no doubt wondering why I have brought the two of us to this place," Shifu said picking up on the giant panda's inquisitiveness as he turned around to face the warrior that stood a respectful distance behind him, "Well I shall tell you, last night while I mediated in deep thought Oogway appeared before me in my subconscious mind and foretold that a great threat to the Valley of Peace would come forth one day and that you'd be the only one able to put a stop to it, so I am going to have to ask that you resume training tomorrow morning. I know that cuts into your plans of spending quality family time with Sakura but I can't be helped, so I hope you can understand just where your priorities should be. Additionally he also told me who would succeed me as the next Grand Master of the Jade Palace and it didn't surprise me one bit."

"It sucks that I'll have to start training again before the rest of the five but then again maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all," Po said stroking his chin with his right paw sagely, "Sakura seemed like she wanted to learn kung-fu when I asked her before Tigress and I adopted her, maybe this could be our version of family time, the three of us training together, yeah that sure sounds like fun. So who did Oogway say was going to be the next Grand Master of the Jade Palace, Master?"

"You, Dragon Warrior, and since you already plan on training along side the rest of your family when you resume tomorrow you might as well us the opportunity to learn everything you can about tiger style form Tigress," Shifu informed the shocked giant panda bluntly about just were his future path ultimately led, "She's a natural at it and don't expect her to go easy on you just because the two of you are mates but since you're mates, she will probably train you harder than you ever have before until you have mastered it. The style you learn afterward is entirely up to you Po but you must master all five styles by the time that the next four seasons pass, anyway that was all that I had to tell you son-in-law. Now unless there is something else that you wish to ask me, about a certain little feline, than we might as well begin to head back."

"Master if you knew about Sakura and the situation she was in living at the orphanage, than how come you didn't bring her up even once during the little talk that Tigress and I had with you," Po inquired lowering his raised paw back to his side, "Surely you know how hard living there must have been for that adorable ball of fur, having seen it first paw yourself what Tigress experienced there everyday before you adopted her, so tell me how come you choose not to step in when you could and should have?"

"Po, if there is one thing in this world that I can truly say has brought me great joy, it's seeing that same happiness and joy in her eyes that I saw, when I first told her that I was going to adopt her and bring her back here to live at the Jade Palace with me," the red panda commented, a faint smile coming to his lips as he fondly remembered the very first day that he had brought the then five year old child home from Bau Gu as clearly as if it had just happened, "In retrospect I was to unforgiving in raising her during those formative years and had I been a little less cold-hearted toward her, than maybe she would have been more self aware of her true feelings concerning you but even if I wished it there is no way for me to go back in time and change what is. Now every time I look at her, I can see that same happy little girl that I first brought home with my all those years ago and its all thanks to you, Po, that I have my little girl back. I would never tell her this directly, of course, but I did notice her potential back then and am very proud of the warrior that she has grown into before my very eyes and couldn't ask for her future to be any brighter than it is with you by her side. As for Sakura, I never told you two about her because I didn't want either of you to feel like I had forced her upon the pair of you, not that leaving her there was ever a welcome option to being with, instead I wanted you and her to come together as natural as possible."

"I wish that you could have seen how normal, Tigress looked the first time that I saw her comforting Sakura," Po commented fondly remembering that very first time that he had seen his feline companion motherly dodding over the young female leopard earlier that morning and how natural the scene seemed, "She had this motherly kindness and warmth about her that I have never seen from her before and I somehow just knew right away that there was no way that, she was going to agree with leaving that place until we adopted, our little angel."

"Tigress, is quite a woman as I'm sure you can no doubt personally attest to Dragon Warrior and once she sets her mind on doing something, there is very little in this world that will make her change it otherwise," Shifu said now staring fatherly up into the jade green eyes of the panda that stood before him, "That's how come, should the time when the two of you decide to get married, I would be more than happy to hold the ceremony here at the Jade Palace and even officiate it myself as my last act as Grand Master before handing the reins over to you."

"Thank you for the offer, Master, but Tigress and I haven't even begun to think about stuff like that however when we begin to, it will certainly put both our minds at ease knowing that you'll be the one in charge of that," Po answered truthfully, since the couple had just been dating for little over a week now and they wanted to take things nice and slow, not that either one was against marriage they just did not want to rashly rush into such a commitment, "Ah, Master, I mean you no disrespect in any way, so of course I plan on telling both Tigress and Sakura that I am going to be the next Grand Master of the Jade Palace but would it be okay for me to tell the rest of the five as well."

"Po, I leave that decision entirely up to you, my son," Shifu said resting both of his paws atop his staff, "I have faith that under your guidance, Sakura shall grow up to be a warrior of the finest quality with all the grace and elegance of a princess. Now shall we get going both are no doubt, missing your warmth and love."

Nodding his head in a yes motion, the future Grand Master of the Jade Palace followed the current one as they turned around and begin to walk back toward the barracks of the Palace. Seeing Monkey, Mantis, Crane and Viper all standing in a semi-circle by the side of the simply canvas and bamboo frame bed, their eyes filled with wonderment, when Po and Shifu returned to the little girls room, ten minutes later, a soft smile began to spread across both of their faces when they saw what had the others so mesmerized. For there sitting atop the stretched out canvas of the bed was Tigress with a sleeping Sakura resting her head upon her adoptive mothers lap, a happy purr emitting from her small frame while the mature female tiger motherly rubbed a paw over the child's back comfortingly. The sight of seeing the two most important feline in his life, so calm and at ease brought happy tears to the giant panda's eye. Getting the attention of the other four members of the Furious Five by softly clearing his throat, the red panda motioned that it was time for them to leave and give the family some alone time. Sitting down on Tigress' open right side, once it was just the three of them in the room as the door swung shut behind Crane, a few moments later, Po lovingly wrapped an arm around his mates waist and began to tell her how come Shifu had not mentioned the wonderful child that lay peacefully sleeping atop her lap before sending them to collect her mothers trinket, which she currently wore about her neck and had no plans of every going, even a single a day without it. In addition to telling his feline companion about what the two of them had discussed, the giant panda informed the female tiger about the great threat toward the Valley that Oogway had foresaw coming, him being the next Grand Master of the Jade Palace and even the suggestion of her adoptive father happily presiding over there future wedding down the road.

"Its certainly looks as if you're destined for greatness, my love," the master of tiger style commented, a soft purr rambling from her throat as she nestled against her mates side, resting her head atop his shoulder gently, "To think that one day, I'm going to be the wife of the Jade Palaces Grand Master, Sakura will be speechless when she finds out that her wonderful baba will be the next Grand Master. Than I guess that means you will have to start training again soon doesn't it, darling, so much for us spending time with our adorable little one and I was really hoping that the three of us could go on a picnic tomorrow, the weather was suppose to be really good too."

"Just because I have to start training again it doesn't mean that the three of us can't spend any time together, kitten," Po said tighten his hold about her waist while she snuggled even deeper into his left flank, "I was thinking that since I have to learn and master all five different styles of kung-fu before the next four seasons pass, I would start with yours so that our little angel could learn it along side her baba, if she wants plus that way we can still bond as a family."

"That's actually a really smart idea, my love," Tigress cooed closing her eyes slowly beginning the feel very sleepy herself, almost as if snuggling into her panda companions warm plush fur had reawaken the basic instincts of her inner cub and was encouraging the mature feline to indulge herself with a quick mid-afternoon nap, "It would be my honour to teach you everything that I know about the tiger style but don't think for even a second that I plan on going easy on you just because we're mates, now if you'd excuse me, I think that our beautiful daughter has the right idea so I'm going to take a quick cat nap myself."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, kitten, so go on and enjoy your nap cuddled against my side," the giant panda said watching as the female tiger closed her big and bright love filled amber irises, "I'll be patiently waiting right here for both of you beautiful angels, when you wake up."

Waking up just time to prepare dinner for the eight of them, later on that evening, Tigress had Sakura sit in her lap at dinner since the mesh hall table had not originally been designed to seat so many individuals. Pressing her back against the silken material of her adoptive mothers embroidered red vest as everyone sat down at the table to eat the food that she had watched both of her new parents prepare, the young female leopard enthusiastic devoured the char-broiled fish that her mother had so lovingly prepared especially just for her before gently tugging on the mature felines arm and asking if she could try some of the food everyone else at the table was eating. Softly smiling down at the little girl sitting atop her lap, Tigress punched some of the tofu stir-fry that she and Po had made for dinner that night between her chopsticks skilfully and holding her other paw underneath to catch any of it that might fall, motherly feed it to her child. Grinning widely up at her adoptive mother and praising what a wonderful cook she was, after swallowing the savoury morsel that she had been feed, Sakura asked if she could have a little bit more. Keeping in mind that the rest of the five, adoptive father and her beloved were seated at the table as well, the master of tiger style lightly patted the child upon her head and in a warm loving voice told her adopted daughter that she could have as much as she liked which brought a warm smile to everyone seated around the table and Viper even awed at the sight of the previously cold and very distant female tiger motherly dodding over her adopted child. Later on that night after everyone had gone to bed and fallen in to a deep sleep, Tigress heard a soft knocking outside of the couples bedroom and rubbing the side of her right paw over her eyes while throwing back the large sheet that covered the two of them, sleepily crawled out of bed. Casting her gaze downward as she pulled open one of their bedrooms two doors, a second or two later, the mature felines warm amber eyes fall upon there adoptive daughter standing there wearing a dark red silk nightdress coyly holding her black and white tiger stuffy behind her back and staring up at her with her big emerald green eyes.

"Having trouble sleeping, little one?" Tigress asked gently kneeling down in front of the child, to which the adorable little feline nodded her head in a yes motion. Wanting her daughter to get a full nights rest and knowing that Po wouldn't put up a fuse about it even if she did ask him before hand, the mature feline placed a paw upon the young girl's side tenderly added, "Do you want to sleep with mama and baba tonight, my angel?"

Scooping up the child with both of her arms, a few moments later, as the child nodded her head yes while beaming a huge smile at her adoptive mother, Sakura lightly slipped her one of tiny arms around her mama's neck cuddling into the soft warm fur that covered the mature female tiger while her other firmly held onto her stuffed animal. Quietly closing their bedroom door while her daughter nestled against her unclothed bosom and neck, Tigress walked back over toward the huge bed that the inter-species couple now shared and crawling back underneath its linen sheet, pressed her back deep into Po's warm plush fur covered body while their daughter snuggled up against her chest. Leaning down her head once Sakura had worked herself into a comfortable spot against her soft supple breast, a minute or so later, the mature female tiger placed a tender, warm, loving motherly kiss upon the child's forehead before resting her head back atop her feather stuffed pillow and closing her eyes quickly fell back into a sound sleep.

**Now I know that it's been quite sometime since I last updated this story but fear not my faithful followers and readers the adventure if far from over, so please be patient with me. As soon as I have finished typing the new chapter, it will be posted shortly after. I welcome all option so plz R&R, until the next chapter happy reading. **


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